Shadow Riders
by StormySorrow
Summary: Sadie Daniels has never seen herself as anything special, but she carries a gift that makes her a perfect target for vampires. She finds herself caught up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, where her mind becomes her greatest weapon. Violence, Sex and Vampires abound.
1. Chapter 1

_** I started writing this a couple of years ago but never finished it. Having been a fan of The Lost Boys since childhood I really enjoyed writing my own prequel to the film. And since The Lost Boys canon is relatively open (we have no firm history for their past ect.) it was even more fun. If it seems like people like the story and want me to continue posting I will. Thanks for reading and let me know what you think.**_

**Chapter One**

1.

Soquel, California - 1965

She was twenty years old; with dark hair and dark eyes. Everyone said she was beautiful, but that didn't make Sarah Daniels feel any better about who she was. The reason was simple. Too much was expected of her and already she was beginning to feel the steady increase of her age hang on her like a weight. She was afraid of the future. So afraid that if she started to think about it her heart would beat faster, her palms would coat themselves in sweat and then tears would well up in her eyes. From the moment Sarah was born she had already begun to die. Every breath she inhaled brought her one step closer to the end. And what if when the end came she had nothing to show for the life she had lived? The thought lodged itself deep within the crevices of her mind, gnawing at the gray matter like a rat with cheese. Her father told her that everyone had these types of fears, and maybe they did, but it did nothing to silence the waging war of doubt in Sarah's mind. It was time to go, to find another way of life different from the one she was expected to lead.

She stared down into the crib and watched as her three week old baby sister slept soundly. Sarah tucked the blanket under Sadie's legs and smiled to herself. It was hard leaving her sister here. Sarah wondered how long it would take her before she no longer thought about Sadie, or how fast she was growing up. It might never go away, the ache to know what kind of person her sister had become, but it was a pain Sarah was willing to accept. She took a folded piece of paper from her bag and laid it at the foot of the crib. It was a letter for Sadie, one she hoped their parents would one day read to her. It explained everything as best Sarah could, with the promise to always love her no matter how far away they might be.

_I could take her with me. Save her from ever feeling like I do._

This wasn't the first time Sarah had thought about taking Sadie along. But to take her away from their parents, who were very good parents, seemed terribly cruel. Maybe one day, when Sadie was all grown up, she would come looking for her. Anything was possible. Sarah bent forward, the tassels on her belt clinking softly against the bars of the crib, and kissed her sister for the last time.

She wiped the tears off her cheeks and turned for the door. It was impossible not to glance back one last time and watch Sadie slumber without bad dreams, or night terrors. Sadie was the perfect picture of innocence and Sarah photographed the image in her mind. "Goodbye, Sadie." She slipped out the door and disappeared into the cool California night. Sarah Daniels was never seen again.

2.

Santa Carla, California -– 1986

Sadie Daniels was watching TV from the sanctum of her bedroom. George Michael pranced around on the screen declaring that he wanted someone's sex, while barely clad women with dark eyes and red lips danced around him. Her roommate, Hayden, was in love with George Michael, always swooning when his videos came on. "He's such a stud ain't he, Sadie?" Sadie was pretty sure George Michael was gay, but she kept the thought to herself. No sense in breaking Hayden's heart if she didn't have to. Outside the rain was beating the roof of the one story beach house with rough jabs. Sadie used the remote to turn off the TV and then called for Shadow, her two year old brown dachshund. The dog waddled to the foot of the bed looking up at his mistress with happy eyes. The vet had warned her that Shadow was severely over weight, but in other wise good health. Sadie had tried to put him on a diet but found it was too hard to deny him the only simple pleasure he really had. She scooped him up in her arms and let him nestle down on the pillow next to hers.

"Good night, Shadow," she said, then kissed the tip of his cold wet nose. She was so sleepy. It was her first night off in more than a week and instead of spending it on the Boardwalk, or walking the beaches, she was using it to get a good nights rest. No one should feel this old at twenty-one. Sadie closed her eyes and started counting backwards from ten. She was asleep before she reached number four.

_It was obviously a dream. Even in her subconscious Sadie knew fantasy from reality. This place was pure fantasy. There was a full white moon in the sky and soft grass beneath her bare feet. She couldn't see the grass though. There was a thick soupy fog swirling around her ankles, obscuring the view. A voice was echoing out around her, as though there was an invisible speaker in the sky and someone had just turned up the volume. The voice was low, sultry and seemed to be speaking only for her benefit. Instead of making Sadie feel comforted, the voice made her skin break out in goose bumps. The feeling in her belly was the same one she got when she was getting ready to board the roller coaster. Fear and curiosity merged together into one desperate need to experience the moment._

_Her feet moved through the fog as she walked toward the train trestle she could see in the distance. Obviously she was meant to go here. The voice seemed to be centered around the trestle, the vibrations reaching her ears moments after the speaker said the words. _

"**_Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor."_**

_Sadie kept moving forward, her hands at her sides. She could feel the fog leaving misty trails along her skin, the cool wind was tugging at her hair then blinding her as it forced hair into her eyes. She was only feet away from the train trestle now and the voice was louder and deeper. Whoever it was continued to recite Poe's "The Raven". Mixed in with his hypnotic tone she could hear laughter. Why hadn't she noticed it before? Sadie turned her ear towards the trestle, wondering if she could pin point whether the voice and the laughter were coming from the same place. But the laughter was not coming from the trestle where the voice was. No, the laughter was above her, beside her, lurking some distance behind. _

"**_Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-'Tis the wind and nothing more'."_**_ Now the voice was laughing too. His laughter seemed to drown out the others. _

_Sadie closed her eyes and gripped the skin of her right arm hard. She pinched and pulled, digging half-moons in an attempt to force herself awake. This once pleasant dream was fast approaching a nightmare. Something whizzed past her, the sound rushing in her ears like an ocean wave. Sadie opened her eyes in time to see a blur of moving color, then another and another. _

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" _She was screaming the words aloud, calling out into the growing darkness. She watched as the clouds encircled the moon until finally the light was gone. Sadie was now alone in the night. The first thing she noticed was how quiet it suddenly was. No sound but the wind and far off in the distance the hoot of a trains horn. Then she heard the laughter again, and somewhere in between those overlapping cackles she heard the voice once more. _

"**_And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, Shall be lifted—nevermore!"_**

_The ground suddenly opened and Sadie could feel herself falling through the fog. It filled her mouth and choked the screams she was trying so desperately to release. All around her she could hear them laughing and the voice whispering, "Nevermore."_

3.

"Good morning, Santa Carla! It's going to be a beautiful Friday night with temperatures around 83°. The Rebel Yell will be playing the Boardwalk tonight so get there early!"

Sadie rolled over and slammed her hand against the alarm clock, silencing the chipper DJ abruptly. She opened her eyes and squinted against the sunlight breaking in through the blinds. Next to her Shadow was sleeping soundly, his pink tongue hanging from one corner of his mouth. She got out of bed and walked to the window, lifting the blinds and looking out over the beach. Already a group of surfers had staked a claim on that mornings waves. There was no sign of rain the night before, only the salty ocean air and warm sun.

She stepped out into the hall with a yawn and smiled to herself as the smell of fried eggs and greasy bacon filled her. Hayden was in the kitchen dancing around the stove with a spatula in her hand. The radio was on full blast, the screeching voice of Vince Neil piercing Sadie's ears. She destroyed him with a jab of her finger against the power button. Hayden turned around with furrowed brows.

"What was that for?"

"It's a little early for the Crue." She took a mug out of the cabinet and filled it with coffee from the pot.

"You working today?" Hayden asked. She was trying to flip her egg, which had broken, spilling yellow yolk across the skillet's surface. "Shit," she muttered, before turning their fried eggs into scrambled.

Sadie nodded. "Double shift tonight. I'll be off by seven."

Hayden shook her head. "That's bullshit, you know. You have no business working all those hours."

"Well, Maria has an audition so I told Max I would take her shift. It's not his fault."

"I guess." Hayden piled the eggs onto two paper plates and handed one to Sadie. "The Rebel Yell is going to play tonight. Wanna come with me?"

Sadie laughed. The Rebel Yell was supposed to be the next big rock band to break out of California, but Sadie couldn't get past the ridiculous get ups they wore. The singer looked more like woman then a man, and Sadie was not ashamed to say that she was envious of his legs. Still, it would be nice spending some time with Hayden. "Sure. Come by the store at seven and we'll walk to the pier together."

"Deal."

The two girls carried their breakfasts to the living room and sat down on the floor. When they'd first rented the house they couldn't afford a dining room set, so they had made the living room their eating quarters. Even though they had since bought a table and chairs, meals still took place atop the living room carpet.

"You look like shit," Hayden stated, her mouth full of eggs. "You get wasted while I was out last night?"

Sadie giggled. "I hate to disappoint you, but no. Just had some weird dreams is all."

"Well, you know what that's about don't you?"

Sadie rolled her eyes. To Hayden everything bad in life came from a lack of sex. "Don't say it, please."

"But it's true. It's a scientific proven fact that a lack of sex will cause bad dreams, loss of money and weight gain."

Sadie lifted her brow. "Are you trying to say I've gained weight?"

"No, no," Hayden gasped. "I was referring to the bad dreams part."

"Nice," Sadie said, sitting back on her hands with a smile. "Still, I don't think my bad dream came from not getting laid."

"How long has it been since you got some?"

There was a sly smile on Hayden's face. She leaned forward with a smirk, clearly waiting for Sadie to answer. "Okay, so it's been a while. I'm busy," she said in defense.

"I'm busy too, girl. And I can promise you that I don't let a week go by without taking care of business."

"There's just no one I'm interested in," said Sadie, watching her plate of cold eggs with disdain. Maybe Hayden was right. It had been four months since her breakup with Kevin and Sadie had been throwing herself into work, trying hard to avoid the process of learning to live without him. "I miss him."

"I know you do. But sweetie, it's time to let go of all that. Kevin was an asshole and we both know it. Maybe you should think about going back to school or something."

Sadie gave a forced laugh. "Oh, I'm sure that would make my parents ecstatic. There's no way I'm making them happy with the career choice of video store clerk."

"Who cares if they're happy, Sadie. You're the one who has to be happy."

"I was happy with Kevin."

Hayden shook her head hard. "No, you were not happy with Kevin. You pretended to be happy with Kevin."

"I'm pathetic aren't I?"

"A little." There was a pause before both girls started to laugh. "We'll have fun tonight. You, me and The Rebel Yell."

"Yeah, we will." Sadie smiled and sipped her coffee. She was going to have fun even if it killed her.

4.

It was ten o' clock, the point where night becomes its darkest. Christy leaned against the railing behind her, a bottle of beer in her hands, eyes trained on the traffic of the boardwalk. She knew they would be there, the boys on their motorcycles. They came every night and she was tired of waiting for them to make the first move. The sound of engines rumbling forced Christy to turn around. There they were, four motorcycles speeding along the beach, waves of sand following behind them. Christy finished the last swig of beer and tossed the bottle into a trashcan next to her. "Here we go," she said, removing her denim jacket to showcase the black corset underneath.

"You're a whore," her friend Miranda laughed beside her.

"Yeah? Well I'm a whore whose gonna get what she wants tonight." Christy smiled victoriously at Miranda.

The four boys pulled up, coming to a stop next to the sign for hot, fresh corny dogs. They were all young, late teens early twenties maybe. The leader was pale, but had a nice build. Platinum hair spiked from his head; an earring dangled from his left ear. He wore all black, a heavy coat that dipped past his knees and leather gloves to match. Behind him was the one Christy assumed to be youngest. Curly honey blonde curls and olive skin, a serene almost innocent smile that chimed through the night like a mischievous bell. His jacket was a multi-colored display of artwork and symbols. The other two were polar opposites when compared to each other. One was a blonde, his hair styled in a way that was made to look as though he'd just rolled out of bed. The other had long dark hair. His ethnicity was a mystery, but his lips were full pink blossoms Christy was dying to try. She knew that Miranda would follow her lead as always. If not, Christy would take them all for herself while Miranda went back home and cried over the fact that her thighs were too fat.

The boys got comfortable on their bikes, laughing to one another as they surveyed the boardwalks pedestrian traffic. The platinum blonde let his gaze fall on Christy and for a moment she couldn't even breathe. He smiled at her, winked, then turned back to his friends.

Miranda whispered to Christy, "Oh my God! He was totally looking at you."

"I told you."

"So now what do we do?"

Christy took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs and force her breasts to strain against the corset, which was deliberately one size too small. "I guess we have to make the first move."

Christy walked toward the boys with her lips curled into a smile. The other boys were looking at her now. They smiled, licked their lips in appreciation of her appearance and one gave out a cat call of approval. She walked directly to the one in black and stopped an inch from his bike. "Hey," she smiled.

"Hey back."

Christy shifted nervously on her high heels. Breaking the ice was proving a lot harder then she thought. "You boys going to see The Rebel Yell play on the pier?"

He shook his head slowly. "Nope. We're going to go down to Byson's beach. Wanna come?"

Christy's entire face lit up with happiness. "Yeah, sure. Let me get my friend." She turned around and waved Miranda over. "What's your name?" Christy asked.

"David."

"I'm Christy, this is Miranda." She nodded in her friends direction but could not take her eyes off David. He held her gaze, smiling coolly, letting his eyes soak up the exposed flesh she was showcasing. "I'll ride with you." Without waiting for his okay Christy climbed onto the back of the bike and wrapped her arms around him. She shivered a little. He was cold, even through the layers of his clothes Christy could feel the chill off his skin. She shrugged the thought away, figuring it was from the spray of the surf as they drove up.

"You can ride with Marko," David told Miranda. The one with the curls waved and smiled, scooting his body forward so that Miranda could climb on behind him. She hesitated for a moment, biting hard into her bottom lip. It wasn't a smart thing they were doing. The hundreds of Missing Person's posters taped to every conceivable surface of the boardwalk was proof of that. "He won't bite," David laughed. The others laughed too. "Paul?" He turned to the blonde and lifted his brow. "Marko doesn't bite does he?"

Paul smirked and shook his head. "I don't know. Dwayne? Does Marko bite?"

The dark haired one looked directly at Miranda. "Not hard," he said. There was a chorus of laughter, Christy's the loudest, but Dwayne did not laugh. He didn't even smile. Miranda looked away from him and back at Christy.

"Come on," she urged. "We'll go hang on the beach for a bit and then we'll go to the pier."

"Well, maybe I'll just meet you at the pier then," Miranda said, an uneasy feeling settling in her chest.

"You're going to hurt Marko's feelings," David said. "Come with us, Miranda." His voice was soft, a sweet song in her ears. Before she even knew what she was doing, Miranda climbed onto the back of Marko's bike and wrapped her arms around his waist. Everyone laughed again.

"You really know how to sweet talk the girls, don't ya?" Christy asked.

"You have no idea." David revved the engine on his bike and Christy shrieked as it leapt forward. She gripped him tighter hooping and hollering with delight.

"Hold on tight." Marko let his bike fly forward, following behind David, while Paul and then Dwayne brought up the rear.

They zoomed away from the boardwalk with a round of cheers. Several people had to lunge out of the way as the bikes flew past them. Miranda closed her eyes against the vicious wind, her fingers gripping Marko's jacket fiercely. They were on the beach in a matter of seconds. As they drove along the sand Miranda could see the scattering of bon fires becoming less and less, until finally they were on an empty stretch of beach with no one around. Byson's beach was often closed because of dangerous rip tides, and no one ever went there because of that. Miranda peered over Marko's shoulder and saw the yellow barricades set up to block people from entering that section of beach. The bikes zipped in and out of the barricades until finally – they stopped.

"That was a rush!" Christy exclaimed. She jumped off the bike with a roar of laughter. "We'll have to do that again."

"You okay, girl?" Marko was off his bike, but Miranda was still seated on it. She was trembling. The air had turned colder, stinging drops of ocean water had drenched most of her hair. A steady fog rose from the surface of the ocean, rolling along the stretch of sand toward the boardwalk in the distance.

"Just cold," Miranda said. She looked hopefully at Marko, expecting him to offer her his jacket, but he didn't. Instead he offered her his hand and helped her down off the bike.

"Who's thirsty?" Paul asked as he pulled a six pack of beer from beneath the pull up seat on his bike.

"I'll take one." Christy held out her hand and Paul tossed her a beer. She popped the tab and squealed like a little girl when the beer sprayed out at her. It coated her chest in sticky patches but she didn't seem to mind. She put the can to her lips and finished it in four long gulps. When she was finished she threw the can into the surf and wiggled her fingers at David. "Wanna dance with me?" she asked, a seductive tone in her voice. David gave a hefty chuckle then walked towards her, his black coat whipping in the wind behind him.

"Let's go farther down," he said. "For more privacy."

Christy nodded and took his hand. "Be back in a minute Randa." She could not see the tears glistening in Miranda's eyes. She and David walked away from the group while the boys whooped and hollered after them.

"You want a beer?" Paul asked.

Miranda shook her head. "No thanks."

The boys all sat down in the sand, sipping their beers and talking amongst themselves. Miranda wished she had stayed on the boardwalk. It always happened like this. Christy got the guy and Miranda was left behind. No one even wanting her as a second choice. She'd been battling her weight since she was a kid, and it never got easier. Maybe she wasn't fat, but she was plump. That had been her grandfathers favorite word for her. Plump. He might as well have shoved a knife in her back.

"You sure you don't want a beer?"

Miranda broke from her daze and was surprised to find Marko standing next to her. He was smiling sweetly at her, a beer in his hand. "I shouldn't," she said, wrapping her arms around herself tighter. "Maybe I should head up to the pier. I can save Christy a seat."

"It's four miles of beach," Marko reminded her. "We'll take you back when David and your friend are done."

Miranda huffed to herself. "You don't know Christy. When she comes back it will be for one of you." She shook her head and ignored the stinging tears in her eyes.

"Maybe not all of us want a taste of your friend." He turned his body so that he was standing directly in front of her. She could feel his breath on her lips and it made her gasp. He was smiling softly at her, his hands running slowly up and down her arms. "What if I want you?"

Miranda swallowed, then took the half-step required to bring their bodies together. Marko let his hand fall on her neck, slipping behind so that her hair was covering it like a blanket. She closed her eyes as his face came closer to hers. His lips covered hers with warm tenderness. Everything was forgotten as she slipped farther and farther into his seduction. His tongue moved between her lips, dancing languidly with hers before he pulled back. His fingers moved to the buttons of her shirt, slipping the first through, then another until the white fabric of her bra could be seen. Miranda's eyes darted nervously to Paul and Dwayne.

Marko laughed softly. "You shy?"

She stepped away from him, shaking. "I need to get back. Tell Christy I'll meet her on the pier."

She could hear Paul and Dwayne laughing from their seated positions on the sand. Marko smiled at Miranda before glancing back at the others. When he looked back at her there was something different in his eyes. A shift she couldn't pinpoint but knew was there all the same. She took another step back, her fingers mindlessly trying to re-button her shirt.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Marko said. "Dwayne told you. I don't bite - hard." He snapped his teeth together making Miranda jump.

"I have to go." Miranda glanced around, her blue eyes searching the deserted beach for anyone who could help her. There was nothing but the crashing surf. "Please, let me go."

"Of course," Marko said, sweeping his arm out as a gesture of compliance. "It's only fair we give you a head start."

Miranda opened her mouth to speak but shut it when she realized what he had said. In the distance she heard a scream. It pierced the night with agonizing pain, Christy's death cry echoing against the darkness. Miranda turned and ran, her screams coming from her in an endless loop. Behind her she could hear them laughing, calling her name, taunting her with their cruel cackles. She turned back once, just to see how far ahead of them she was. They were still where she had left them, their shadows silhouetted beneath the moonlight. Miranda kept running, tripping more then once and falling face first into the sand. She stumbled but always found her footing. The screams never stopped. She hoped they would attract some passer by, some rent-a-cop who was on his nightly patrol.

Laughter came barreling behind her. She turned, her hair lashing her hard against the face. What she saw could not be real, and yet there they were. The three boys were flying toward her, arms outstretched, mouths wide open revealing the elongated incisors. Their eyes glowed amber against the dark as they rode the shadows closer to her. Miranda could feel the pressure of their speed. The toe of her shoe snagged a piece of drift wood and she plunged toward the sand. She attempted to soften the impact but the force of her fall was too great. Her wrists snapped under the tension sending a blinding pain throughout her body.

They were on her in an instant. She saw them only in a blur of whirling color. Underneath their laughter she could hear the sounds of her flesh tearing, the crack of their teeth against her bones. They tore at her clothes, shredding the fabric with their sharp nails. Miranda managed one last scream before Marko ground his teeth into the hollow of her throat. The blood spilled with orgasmic bliss, the three of them sharing her between them. Before her eyes closed and Miranda was embraced by the darkness she had one final realization. These monsters really did exist. They did not fall. They did not die. These lost boys would live forever.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Let me know your thoughts. ~Stormy~**_

**1.**

The duties of managing a video store were not really difficult. In fact, Sadie was pretty sure a trained lab monkey could do it. But it was a job, and Max the owner had always been very kind to her. He paid her more then she was sure was reasonable for a position like hers, and there was something very fatherly about him. She liked that. He was so different from her own father. Sadie leaned against the counter, relaxed by the rhythm of music coming from a set of overhead speakers. She rested her chin on her palm and watched as the tourists and locals mingled together outside on the boardwalk.

"Hello, peanut!"

Sadie broke from her thoughts and smiled as Max walked through the front doors. He was taller then her own father, with a full head of brown hair and kind eyes. He wore glasses that slipped down his nose every few minutes. She and Maria had once spent an entire shift counting how many times he had to push them back up the bridge of his nose. Sadie was very fond of Max and wasn't sure how to thank him for all he had done for her.

"Hey, Max."

He walked behind the counter and gave her a gentle pat on the head. "How are we doing tonight?"

"Pretty good. We're up a hundred from last night and it's still early."

"Saturday's are our big nights," he agreed. "Here, I brought you a snack." He sat a white paper bag on the counter. Inside was a salted pretzel and a can of diet coke.

"Thanks, Max." Sadie smiled and pulled the pretzel out. She tore half of it away and offered it to Max. He shook his head and Sadie frowned playfully. "Come on, you know you want some."

He laughed and took the food from her then popped it in his mouth with a smile. He rubbed his belly and gave her a wink. "Wonderful." Sadie was about to ask him about that Monday's shipment of new tapes when the sound of rumbling engines forced both Sadie and Max to turn towards the entrance. Through the wall of windows they saw four motorcycles pull into the parking lot. Sadie had seen the four boys riding them before. Every night they seemed to come to the boardwalk, but they had never come into the store when she was working. She felt Max's hand on her shoulder and looked up at him. "Stay here," he told her. "I'll handle this."

"Do you know them?"

"They've been in here before," he said, his lips pursed together in a straight line. "I told them not to come back."

"Why?"

Max looked down on her with concern. "Those boys are wild," he said firmly. "You just trust me on this one, Sadie. Boys like that are bad news." He gave her shoulder a squeeze then rounded the corner of the counter just as the four boys came inside, one after the other. They all eyed Max and then dispersed themselves around the store. "What are you doing here?" Max asked the platinum blonde, who had waited by the front entrance expectantly.

David smiled at Sadie before turning his attention to Max. "Looking for some good music is all."

"We don't sell music," Max snapped. "This is a video store and you know that."

David pointed to a row of cassette tapes behind Max. "What are those?"

Max turned back to the tapes. "We're expanding. We don't have a large selection of music, not anything you'd want."

David turned his eyes back on Sadie. She was pretending to leaf through a magazine but her eyes would drift occasionally to the pair in front of her. He laughed under his breath and Sadie felt a chill run up her spine. She wondered if he was aware how creepy that laugh sounded, and if he did, was that laugh for her benefit or Max's?

"Come with me," Max barked. He turned back to Sadie. "I'll be right outside." He looked around the store then leaned into the counter so that only Sadie could hear him whisper, "Watch them."

Sadie nodded, though she was pretty sure these boys weren't the shoplifting bunch. There were video camera's set up in each corner of the store and security devices on all the tapes. Add to that the giant sign that read: ALL SHOPLIFTERS WILL BE PROSECUTED and only a real moron would try and steal from Max's.

There was a tap on the counter behind her. "Excuse me, can I get some help?" Sadie turned around and was face to face with one of the motorcycle boys. He was smiling, a smile that was so disarming it immediately made her wary. She lifted one brow as if to ask what he wanted. "This any good?" he asked and held up a video.

Sadie took the tape from him, looked it over then set it back down on the counter without a word. With one eyebrow still raised she stared the boy in his eyes. His smile faltered just a bit as Sadie took the moment to study his appearance. She started with the honey colored curls on his head, the ocean colored eyes, and thought for a moment that if this boy was really a threat like Max said, she saw no outward sign of it.

"You're fucking with me," she stated flatly.

"How am I doing that?" He picked the video up and looked it over, lifting his eyes to her face with a smile. "Are you going to answer my question?" He leaned his body into the counter, bringing him a little closer to her. He looked genuinely surprised when she snatched the video out of his hand.

"You really want my opinion on _Love Story _? Tough guy like you? Surely you'd rather watch _Commando_."

"Is that any good?" He was smirking, realizing that she had caught on to his act.

"Well, if you like mindless violence I suppose it would be good. I'm not into action movies." Sadie crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for him to make a counter move.

"So you would recommend this one?" He held up _Love Story_.

"No. I don't like fluffy stuff like that either."

"Well, Sadie. We're at an impasse."

"How do you know my name?"

He nodded to the badge on her chest. "I'm assuming that's you."

Sadie tried to hold back her smile. It was obvious this guy was flirting with her, and if Sadie didn't know better she would say she was flirting back. It had been so long since she'd done that with anyone that it felt strange and awkward. She found him amusing, which was always a plus, but was pretty sure he had some blonde big breasted dimwit waiting for him somewhere. Tough guys on bikes that looked like they just stepped out of a rock video usually had a blonde on the side.

"You really want me to suggest a good movie?"

"Yeah, I really do."

Sadie reached under the counter and pulled out the last copy of _Ghostbusters_. "I was saving this for myself," she said. "But if you haven't seen it, you really should." She handed the video to him and watched him read over the description.

"Sounds funny."

"It is," Sadie agreed. "It's got some scary moments too."

"Maybe we could -"

"Marko!" David called from the entrance. Max was standing on one side of him while Paul and Dwayne walked past. "Let's go."

Marko turned to Sadie with a shrug. "Rain check?"

"Sure," Sadie nodded. "I'll just keep it under the counter with your name on it." She grabbed a piece of notebook paper off the register and started to write his name across it. She was startled when she felt cold fingers wrap around her wrist.

"If you're going to write my name, you should at least spell it right." He smiled again, showing his top row of straight teeth. "It's a 'k', not a 'c'."

"Marko with a k," she said. "Shouldn't be too hard to remember."

"Marko!" Paul was getting impatient, as was Max.

"See ya around Miss Sadie." He walked around the counter and followed the others outside. Before he got on his bike he glanced back at the store, not surprised to see Sadie watching them leave from behind the window.

"Sadie Daniels," Max murmured to himself. He looked down at her with a face full of pinched nerves.

"What?"

He moved away from the counter and approached her, his arms crossed and a fatherly tone barreling from his voice. "What did I tell you about those boys?"

Laughter rose inside Sadie like champagne bubbles. It took every ounce of will power to hold it back. "Max, come on. Bad taste in clothes does not make a person bad. I think you just don't like the way they dress."

"I don't understand you kids today. Leather chaps and wild looking coats? It's ridiculous."

Sadie giggled. "This coming from the man wearing a fuchsia tie."

Max let his lips form a brief smile before pulling it back. "You're a grown girl, Sadie. I'm not your father and I know that. But I'm pretty sure your parents in Soquel wouldn't want you messing with a boy like that."

Sadie flinched at the thought of her parents. Right now they were probably sitting across from each other at the dinner table eating in silence. On the fireplace mantle there would be two framed pictures. One of Sadie at her high school graduation and one of her sister Sarah, who had left before Sadie was even a month old. No one knew where she went, or why. All Sadie knew was that Sarah left one night and never came back. As a child Sadie had decided that if her sister left her it must be their parents fault. Even as an adult, with rational reasoning abilities, she couldn't forgive her parents of whatever crimes they might have committed.

"It wasn't like that, Max," Sadie said, ready to end the conversation. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Good." He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Because I do worry about you, kiddo. I never had any children of my own, you know."

The bell above the door rang as a group of kids and their parents came inside. Sadie was thankful for the excuse to get away from the discussion. She gave Max a smile before slipping out from behind the counter and approaching the two adults. That night, while counting the till, Sadie couldn't help but think about Marko. He sparked her interest, and that was something she couldn't ignore. She closed the cash register with a sigh and double checked the alarm system.

"We did pretty well this evening," Max said as he closed and locked the front doors. "I may have to give you a raise if this keeps up."

"You already do too much for me, Max." And Sadie was sure they both knew that.

Max gave a hearty laugh. "You know Sadie, you're the first woman I ever met who turned down more money."

Sadie smiled. "Well, if you give me a raise you have to give one to Maria too."

Max wrapped a fatherly arm around her shoulder as they walked toward her car. "That was my plan all along."

**2.**

The boys cruised through the narrow paths that zigzagged up into the hills overlooking the ocean. The motorcycles headlights gave only glimpses of low hanging branches and bushes that swayed with the wind created by their speed. To Marko, the rides through the hills and along the beaches was a thrill that even flying through the air couldn't match. He threw his head back, opened his mouth and howled at the moon like the predator he was. His mind flashed on images of the girl from Max's video store. She was different from the other girls he'd met on the boardwalk. He wasn't sure how, but he knew that he wanted to find out.

He planned to go back to the store the following day, without the others. Hopefully Max wouldn't be there and he could find out what exactly it was about Sadie that intrigued him so much. Then he could get her face out of his mind, quench the thirst and hunger he felt for her, and have no regrets later. If he killed her now it would leave the burning question of 'why' in his head. As a vampire with infinity before him, he didn't want to have to deal with regret forever. Once he had the answers he would indulge in all she could offer and would then be content to continue the endless nights of debauchery and fun.

The yellow warning sign loomed in the distance, highlighted by their headlights: DANGER! KEEP OUT! They turned their bikes off the path, let them come to a stop, then rose above them. They flew towards the entrance of their cave, their own personal haven. Inside was the remnants of an early 20th century resort, destroyed by the great earthquake of 1906. It was a lost boys paradise, a playground of enchanted magic and Marko knew it was the only place any of them would consider 'home' again. As he followed his pack through the narrow corridors towards the darkest and deepest parts of the cave, he couldn't help but turn a somersault in the air and cackle like a mad man. The night had been good to him. Poor Sadie, he thought, she had no idea that she had less then 24 hours to live.

** 3.**

"How was work?" Hayden asked, as Sadie came in through the front door of the beach house.

"It was interesting," said Sadie, cryptically. After she had left the video store Sadie spent the entire drive thinking about the boys on the bikes, Marko in particular. Max never said why he thought they were so bad, and had more or less admitted that a lot of his disliking of them had to do with their fashion sense. Sadie looked past that and focused instead on Marko's smile. Everything about him was non threatening, so why then, was there the slightest twinge of nervousness when she thought about him. Maybe, she thought to herself, it was because she liked him. Or at the very least interested in finding out more about him.

"Interesting how?" Hayden handed her the box of pizza she had been consuming. There were three slices left for Sadie. More then enough to fill her up and give her a wicked case of heartburn. She shook her head and side stepped the sofa before entering the kitchen. She settled on a peanut butter sandwich, ignoring Hayden's question all together. She wasn't sure she was ready to let Hayden in on everything that had happened that night. When she went back into the living room Hayden was sitting on the sofa still looking puzzled. Her face was lit up in the electric blue light from the TV and Sadie could see the impatient gleam in her eyes. "So? Spill it. What happened at work?"

"These guys came into the store," Sadie said, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Max flipped his lid." She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. "One of them came up to ask me about a movie."

"Yeah?" Hayden asked impatiently. So far there was nothing really interesting in Sadie's story. "Was he cute?"

"Yeah, he was. I didn't really get to talk to him much. They left the store and Max more or less forbade me from ever talking to any of them again."

"Well, Max ain't your Daddy, Sadie. This is huge! You haven't even looked at anyone since the evil one."

"His name is Kevin."

"I prefer the 'evil one'. It's more fitting." Hayden leaned closer to Sadie, the smile on her face stretching from one ear to the other. "Tell me about him. What about his friends? They cute too."

Sadie laughed. She should have expected this. "Yeah, they're all pretty cute. I mean, in that bad boy kind of way."

Hayden clapped her hands together excitedly. "You mean this mystery man isn't some uptight preppy prick like the 'evil one'?"

"Hayden, please don't call him that. And no, he's not. He was wearing leather chaps," she added, showing her disapproval with a frown. "But other then some questionable fashion statements, he seemed really nice. It doesn't matter though. He probably has a girlfriend."

Hayden looked at Sadie, shocked. "You are not going to let this one go. You have tomorrow night off, we can go and stake out the boardwalk. What kind of car does he drive?"

"He doesn't have a car. He rides a motorcycle, they all do."

Hayden's eyes went wide. "Oh my God. You met the Lost Boys."

"Who?"

"The Lost Boys. They've been coming to the boardwalk for a while now. No one knows anything about them. But you're right. They are super hot." Hayden was giddy. "This is amazing. Which one do you have dibs on?"

Sadie shook her head. "Wait! I don't have dibs on _any_ of them. For fucks sake it was a six minute conversation about a movie. I doubt he'll even come back. Max was pretty pissed about them even stepping foot into the store. Jesus, you're acting like they're famous or something."

"Well, on the boardwalk they _are_ famous." Hayden sat back into the sofa with a crooked smile. "I can't believe my little Sadie got the attention of a Lost Boy."

"Don't call them that," she said with a frown. "And I don't know if he even noticed me like that. If he comes back into the store I wouldn't be upset. I'll say that much. But you, missy, are marrying me off a little too quick."

"So? Which one was he?"

Sadie couldn't help but smile. "His name's Marko. He has curly hair and..."

"A killer body," Hayden finished with a laugh. "Good choice, lady. I approve."

Sadie rolled her eyes and threw one of the ornate pillows at Hayden's face. They laughed together, but Sadie couldn't help but wonder about the moniker Marko and his friends has gained from locals. The Lost Boys. It sounded so sad, and yet immediately she had visions of Peter Pan and Captain Hook. There was something magical about the name, something that added yet another layer of mystery to Marko and his companions. This Lost Boy was one Sadie wanted to find.

** 4.**

Paul pushed the door open with the toe of his boot. He smiled at the petite brunette next to him and watched any hesitation she may have felt melt like snow. They'd met at a bar near the boardwalk. All the girls couldn't keep their eyes off him, but he had picked this one because she looked the most innocent. Virgin blood always tasted just a little better. She was wearing tight jeans tucked into leather boots with pin thin heels. Her hair was a crinkled mess of too much hairspray and styling gel. On her nails she wore bright pink nail polish. She was what they called a 'mall rat'. The kind of meal that had a satisfying after taste. Money tasted like sugar when it flowed through the red blooded veins of an all-American teenager. She wasn't afraid of him, but she should have been. Everyone should have been. Stupid little bitches.

"What are we doing in here?" she asked softly.

"Having some alone time," Paul said, wearing a grin she couldn't see in the dark. The building was a dilapidated warehouse where privacy was never an issue. He knew she was wondering why he hadn't asked her name yet. Really, what was the point? This wasn't a date, it was dinner, and who needed introductions for the simple act of eat and run? He closed the door behind them and took her hand in his. She shivered at the cold feel of his skin, but snuggled closer to him when his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

He led her through the darkness. With his eyes he could see the three shadowed figures standing in the corner. The little brunette next to him was blind to them. The heels of his boots rocked hard against the concrete floor. He started whistling, a tune she didn't recognize. The smell of her perspiration began to mix with the musty air. The other three shifted with eager and hungry anticipation. He could only laugh as the girl walked right into a death trap. Dwayne was the first to step out of the pack. He brushed against the wall and the sound made the girl stop walking.

"What was that?" she asked, a nervous tilt to her voice. Her hand was gripping Paul so tight, that if he were a human it might actually hurt.

"I thought I'd invite some of my friends," he smiled. "They would really like to meet you."

She tried to jerk her hand out of his but he held tight. She was whimpering as the rest of the boys emerged from the shadows, amber eyes glittering against the dark. Paul could feel the scream in her throat and slammed his hand over her mouth before it ever had the chance to escape her lips. He cackled as she kicked her legs out in front of her, the heel of one boot cracking against the concrete.

"Feisty, isn't she?" he laughed. "Who wants first bite?"

David stepped forward. "I do." He laughed as he walked closer to them. His laughter was a low rumble that began deep in the pit of his stomach. The girl quit fighting Paul's grip and went limp in his arms. David reached for her, one leather clad hand cupping the side of her face.

They could all sense her fear – it was more alive then she was. A breathing, pulsing entity that called to each and every one of them. They were all here for the same thing, and she knew it was her. As David stared deep into her eyes she understood what was happening, and that if she would let them, they could make it a painless leap from this life to the next. They were here to feed from her, David told her, though his voice appeared only in her mind. There was no need for her to scream or to cry. Pain was not a necessary factor in transactions like these. If she would let them, it might actually be rather enjoyable for her. Did she want that?

Outside she could hear the wind beating against the side of the building, the tides were coming in. She shivered, wishing that she had spent the last hours of her life enjoying the beauty of the ocean and the freedom of the surf. This man standing before her in the darkness told her that she could still have the beauty, the freedom. And she could have it for all eternity. All she had to do was give in. These boys might be angels, or even devils, it didn't really matter anymore. She closed her eyes, not wanting this dirty warehouse to be the last thing she ever saw.

Their breathing was heavy. She could feel Paul's warm breath on her neck and taste David's on her tongue. She sensed movement around her, felt Paul's arms leave her body. They were circling her, each one laughing softly under his breath. This was exciting for them, watching her tremble, watching her give in to the seductive power of their glamour's. Their breathing grew louder and louder, until they were growling. She opened one eye to see them dancing around her, faster and faster until she was watching a swirl of dull color. She closed her eyes and waited for the next move.

There was a blast of air in her face as David flew at her. The sudden sensation of falling was cut off by the sharp pain that tore through her neck. "Uhhhh." She tried to speak, to tell them her name, so that they might remember her. But it was impossible as David pushed her body away and sent her careening towards Dwayne. He held her tightly by the arms, his strong hands cracking her bones as he pulled the shirt off her tiny frame. A bolt of red hot pain moved through her as he dug his teeth into the flesh just beneath her collar bone.

Some part of herself, maybe it was her spirit, was listening to David's voice as it sang a lullaby in her head. Dwayne let her go and she fell back into the concrete with a smack. To her it was like landing on a feather filled mattress. He had been right. If she just listened to his voice it was okay. Even peaceful. Paul and Marko took up a space on either side of her. Marko buried his fangs into the fleshy side of her stomach, while Paul devoured one breast. As her body delivered those last few ounces of her blood she heard David tell her to go. Only then did she know real freedom. It was then that the Lost Boys taught her how to fly.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you so much to those of who took the time to leave me your thoughts. I was about ready to abandon the story as it seemed no one was interested but you helped to resurrect it. Thank you. If you read, I'd love to hear what you have to say. ~Stormy~

1.

The sky was a milky blue as dusk settled over Santa Carla. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy caught the breeze, mingling with the salty ocean air. Sadie would be working the store by herself tonight. Max was on a date, Maria was sick, and the only other employee, Jeff, had worked the day shift. That meant that Sadie would have to take one for the team and work Sunday night alone. It could have been worse. At least tonight they closed at ten and not midnight. As she was leaving the beach house Hayden wished her luck. She was sure that Marko and the boys would show up at the store, even if Sadie wasn't. Max had left a note taped to the counter specifically forbidding any employee from allowing the boys in the shop. It didn't seem fair. Sadie had seen nothing to provide a logical reason for denying them service. What Max didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

She wasn't a little girl, after all. Max wasn't her father. If she wanted to talk to a boy she could, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop her. Sadie smiled, and then quickly caught herself. It was too early to be excited about this Marko character. He probably wouldn't be back, and she hated that the thought of it made her feel blue.

She'd had enough of the boyfriend blues while she was with Kevin. Seven months of being his girlfriend had amounted to almost nothing. Sure, there were some good times in the beginning, but that all changed when she found him sucking face with some bimbo on the boardwalk while he thought she was in Soquel visiting her parents. He didn't even have an excuse for his indiscretion, just chalked it all up to their having grown apart. Every time Sadie thought about the look on his face when he said he was ready to move on she wanted to punch something. Right now the only thing to punch was a cardboard cutout of Arnold Schwarzenegger holding a big gun. It was good enough for her. She threw her hand into the cutout and watched it wobble slightly before falling flat on its back. Several patrons gave her concerned looks before returning to their hunt for a video. Sadie blew the hair out of her eyes and got control over her breathing. Surprisingly, she did feel a little better.

"What did he do?"

Sadie swung around in surprise. Marko was standing there looking at her with a sly smile. Her face burned from the blush spreading across her cheeks and for a moment she couldn't seem to find any words.

"Hi," she smiled, feeling even stupider when she took a step toward him and tripped over the edge of the cutout. She stumbled forward and fell directly into Marko's outstretched arms.

"I guess that was payback for kicking his ass," he laughed. Sadie quickly recovered and felt her skin burn with embarrassment. She hunched her shoulders and took a step back, Marko's arms slipping away from her. As soon as she'd done it she knew it seemed rude. Dammit. "So? You still have my tape?"

Sadie's brows furrowed briefly before she remembered the _Ghostbusters_ tape under the counter with Marko's name on it. "Yeah," she said, hoping he couldn't hear the disappointment in her voice. Of course he had come just for the tape. He was probably going to take it back to his place and watch it with his girlfriend. She walked around the side of the counter and retrieved the tape. "Here ya go."

Marko looked it over then smiled. "There's a problem."

"What problem?" Sadie asked, confused.

"I don't have a VCR," Marko said. His smile was turning up the corners of his lips, but he never let it fully break his face. "I was hoping you'd have a solution to that."

Sadie dropped her eyes to the counter and bit down into her bottom lip. She knew what he was implying. He wanted her to ask him to her place. "I do have a solution," she said. Marko let the smile part his lips completely now. "When you get a VCR, the movie will still be here for you."

His smile disappeared. "Wow. Not the solution I was hoping for."

Sadie couldn't help but laugh. "I don't even know you," she said. "I'm not in the habit of asking strange men over to my house."

"I guess you have a point. Would it help my case if I promise that I'm not a homicidal maniac?"

Sadie put the _Ghostbusters_ tape back under the counter. "In this town? Probably not." She turned her head to watch a couple holding hands enter the store. "It doesn't change the fact that I don't know you." When she returned her eyes to him he was staring at her intently. His brows were creased together like he was concentrating on something very important. Their eyes locked and for one brief moment she heard his voice in her head. _Invite me over, Sadie. You know I won't hurt you. _She broke their eye contact and shook her head. Weird. Marko was still looking at her, his teeth digging hard into his bottom lip, while drops of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Marko?"

His face softened. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

He looked confused by the question. "Sure I am. Are you?"

"You just looked like something was wrong. I hope I haven't offended you."

He laughed and leaned into the counter. "Why? Because you won't invite some stranger riding a motorcycle over for dinner and a movie? I guess I can forgive you."

"Can I ask you a question?"

His smile had lessened; it was now pulling up the left corners of his lips giving him a devilish smirk. She heard the bell above the entrance door jingle and turned around to watch the couple from earlier leaving. It was then she realized that Marko was her only customer. They were alone now.

"Go ahead, ask me."

"Why doesn't Max want the four of you in the store?"

Marko's eyes flashed with anger, and then his entire face went blank. Sadie took a step back from the counter, not sure if she had made him angry with her question or not.

"I think ole' Max's problem is more with David then us. But as usual, you are who you hang out with right? If Max doesn't like David he won't like us."

"Fair enough. But what's his problem with David?" She leaned into the counter, hoping that if she softened her expression the question would not seem demanding.

"Sadie, David and Max..." Marko paused, his head tilting to the side slightly. "Shit," he muttered under his breath.

"What's the matter?" Just as she asked the question Sadie heard the sound of a car door slamming and then the tap of Max's shoes as he hurried from the parking lot to the store. She didn't want to turn around, afraid to see either anger or disappointment on Max's face. Anger she could deal with, disappointment would destroy her. She turned around when the bell above the door formally announced his arrival.

His face was an odd mix of surprise and fury. "It's after ten, Sadie," he said. "The store is closed." He narrowed his eyes on Marko. "Get the hell out."

Marko was smirking, but lifted his hands in the air as if in surrender. "I was just leaving." He looked at Sadie and his smirk became a smile. A smile so soft and sincere that Sadie felt her body sway under its impact. "If you change your mind," he said, leaning across the counter so that his face was an inch from her own. "You know where to find me."

She watched him walk past Max, staring the older man down for half a second before finally exiting the store. Sadie stood behind the counter watching Marko walk towards his bike, and something inside her took over. She liked him. She wanted to know more about him, and no one, not even Max would deny her the chance to break free from Kevin's ghost. Sadie ran around the counter and towards the door. Max made no move to stop her, just stared at her in disbelief.

"Sadie, he's no good," he told her when she stopped next to him at the door.

"I have to find that out for myself, Max." She held his eyes, knowing that while his permission wasn't needed, she still wanted it. Over the last year he had become like a father to her, and she needed to know that while he may not approve of Marko, he was willing to accept him just the same.

He inhaled deeply then nodded at the door. "Go," he said softly.

Sadie smiled then ran out the door. Marko was on his bike, revving the engine when she called out to him. "Marko!"

He turned over his shoulder to see Sadie running towards him. He killed the engine and stood off the bike to face her, waiting for her to say those magic words. When she reached him she was out of breath. "I'm sorry," she said, then let her shoulders slump with defeat. She had no idea what she was doing.

"You keep apologizing to me," he laughed, "when you have nothing to be sorry for. I shouldn't have bothered you here. I didn't mean to get you into trouble with Max."

Sadie shook her head. "Don't worry about Max. I can handle him. It's just...if you really wanted to see me, outside of the store I mean, I think I would like that."

Marko leaned into his bike with a smile. "You're still not inviting me over are you?"

Sadie smiled back. "Not yet."

"You're going to make me work for that invitation aren't you?" He leaned forward so that he could look her directly in the eye.

Sadie bit her lip. "I ended something a few months ago. It's weird for me to jump back into this whole dating thing."

"It doesn't have to be weird with me," he smiled. "Look, why don't I meet you here tomorrow night. We'll have fun. You can get to know me, realize I'm an okay guy and not a psycho killer, and then maybe you'll let me come over and watch _Ghostbusters_." He lifted one eyebrow. "Sound good?"

"It sounds great," she said, feeling the pressure of the last months slide off her shoulders.

Marko climbed onto his bike. "See you tomorrow Miss Sadie." He revved the engine hard then shot out of the parking lot with a squeal of tires.

She watched him go. When he was lost in the darkness and the red glare of his break-light was no more; she dropped her head back and focused on the full white moon above her. This felt good; it felt like she was finally moving forward. She turned and started back toward the store, realizing that Max was watching from behind the window. She paused. If this was so right, why could she still feel that strange flutter in her chest? She pushed the thought away, determined to pull herself back together no matter what.

2.

When Marko made it back to the cave Paul was the only one there. He would have known it even if he hadn't seen Paul sitting next to the shore smoking a joint. They were connected, all of them, and it made keeping secrets very difficult. Paul looked up as Marko approached him. He offered the joint, which Marko refused, then gave a sly smile. "Did you get what you were after?"

"Sort of," Marko said as he sat down next to Paul on the rock. "I decided to give it some more time," he lied, not wanting to tell Paul the truth. His mind was reeling with questions and amazement. He had pushed at Sadie with everything he had, digging into her mind with his power, and yet she had still denied him the invitation he was after. No mortal he'd ever met before had managed that.

"Right," Paul said with a mocking tilt. "Now, why don't you tell me what really happened."

"Max showed up."

"Shit, how'd that turn out?"

Marko shrugged his shoulders. "He just told me to get the hell out. She followed me though."

"You're leaving something out, man. I can feel it."

Marko gave Paul an annoyed glare and shook his head. "Fine. She resisted me." He looked to Paul with wide eyes. "I used every ounce of persuasion I could and she still resisted."

"That's impossible," Paul huffed. "Mortals can't resist us."

"Apparently they can."

Paul sucked hard on the joint, holding the smoke in deep before tossing the dying orange ember into the surf. He was the youngest in terms of immortal years, and he was still developing his powers. But even as green as he was, he'd never met a mortal who could deny his charms. The mere idea that this girl had resisted a vampire as old as Marko made everything around him feel off kilter. A seriousness washed over him, which in itself was a strange thing. Paul was never serious unless the situation was truly important. "You need to tell David."

"No," Marko said firmly.

David. Marko loved him and hated him all at the same time. Theirs was a relationship that existed on a very delicate balance. It was David who had sired Marko and brought him into this dark enchanting world. But there was a level of power David held over all of them, a power Marko would never possess over David. It was infuriating on many levels. Just once, Marko wanted the chance to say 'no'. And what would happen to Sadie if David did find out about what happened in the store? Marko wasn't sure if he would kill her, or use her as a test subject. Either way, Marko wasn't ready to let Sadie go just yet. He was more intrigued by her then ever. No, it was best if David knew nothing about Sadie until Marko had gotten the answers he was after.

"You can't keep this from him," Paul insisted. "He'll find out eventually any way."

"I'll deal with it when he does."

Paul pulled his knees to his chest. "Maybe you didn't use as much insistence as you thought."

Marko turned to him with serious eyes. "I used everything I had, Paul. I felt her soul flinch, but she pushed me out without much fight. She's different."

Paul turned to Marko with questioning eyes. "Have you ever known a human to do that before?"

Marko let his eyes move to the water. The surf was crashing against the rocks with thunderous rage. The ocean and the earth at war with one another, a constant battle that neither could win. That was what immortality was like for Marko. Deep down there was a part of him that retained the memories of his life before the darkness. If he concentrated hard enough he could remember the sunshine, what the warm rays felt like caressing his skin. He didn't think on things like that for too long. "I haven't," he finally said.

There was a pause before Paul asked, "David has though, hasn't he?"

Marko nodded.

"Who?"

Marko opened his mouth to speak then shut it quickly. He and Paul both looked up into the sky, listening to the laughter no mortal would have been able to hear. Seconds later they glimpsed David and Dwayne emerging from behind the clouds, their laughter growing louder and louder. Finally their boots hit the rocky shore.

"Did you two have fun tonight?" David asked, a splatter of dried blood still visible on his chin.

Paul laughed. "I had a quick bite to eat, then came back here to see if I could add to the feng shui of our lovely home."

"Really?" David asked, his blue eyes settling on Paul. "And what did you find?"

"Come see."

Paul and Dwayne flew towards the entrance to the cave. David chose to walk, and was almost to the dark opening when he turned back to look at Marko. "Are you coming?"

Marko nodded and ran to catch up with David. As they descended the steep sloping rock that dropped down into the cave, David threw his arm around Marko's shoulder. "You went to Max's," he said. It was a statement, not a question, and Marko wasn't sure if he was expected to answer or not. "So? How did it go with her?"

"Who?"

David laughed deeply. "The pretty brunette behind the counter, Marko. I knew you were hungry for her. That's why Dwayne and I stayed in the background tonight. My question is, why didn't you kill her when you had the chance?"

"I'm not ready," was Marko's simple answer.

They hopped down off the edge of the rock and landed into the main part of the cavern. Leaning up against the wall was a large photo of Jim Morrison that Paul had brought back with him. The black and white portrait contrasted beautifully with the dark gray walls of the cave. David dropped his arm from Marko's shoulder and approached the photo slowly.

"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is," David whispered. "Infinite." He turned back to the three boys behind him. "I like it."

Paul smiled a cheeky grin, obviously happy that David was pleased with his addition to the cave. "We have a few hours before dawn," he said. "We should go grab some dinner."

"We already ate," Dwayne said.

"No," David interceded. "You and Paul go out for a while. Marko and I have plans of our own."

Marko furrowed his brows in confusion as David smirked in his direction. Dwayne did not question David's demands, nor did he seem particularly happy to be going back out. He was a stoic creature, even as a human he had been quiet and often sullen. There were times when he could laugh and crack jokes, but those times were rare when placed in comparison to Paul, who thought everything was a party. They left the cave, Paul cackling to himself, while Dwayne turned back over his shoulder. David gave him a curt nod which seemed to communicate much more then words ever would. Soon Marko and David were alone.

"You know where we're going," David said.

Marko felt a swell of anger that quickly turned to bubbling excitement. This was his nature, to want the things David wanted, to love his sire with every fiber of his immortal blood. "I know," Marko said, inhaling deeply.

"Then what are we waiting for?" David smiled. "Let's go."

3.

Hayden was still out when Sadie got home. She led Shadow to her bedroom and put the dog on the pillow next to hers. As she stripped off her jeans and t-shirt she thought about what had happened at the store. After Marko left and she had walked back inside Max said nothing about what she'd done. It was business as usual. He told her to go home, said he would lock up, and that was that. In many ways it comforted Sadie to know that even if he didn't approve of her going out with Marko, he was at least willing to accept it. But there was another part of Sadie that wondered why he hadn't tried harder to stop her from running after him. It was a puzzling question Sadie wasn't sure she would ever have the answers to.

She threw on her nightshirt then slipped beneath the covers. Her eyes stayed on the ceiling as drowsiness spread through her. This was the right thing to do; even if nothing came from a date with Marko, at least she had given herself the chance. She'd been so in love with Kevin, so blind to how wrong that love was, and Marko represented her chance to start again. Everyone was owed the right to love, to learn and experience. She was no different. Her eyes closed slowly as sleep took her over, plunging her into the fog of dreams.

4.

**_" 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door, Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door. This it is, and nothing more."_**

_Sadie was standing in the dark. She could hear the waves crashing behind her, above her and beneath her, but she had no idea how any of it was possible. Then the darkness began to shift, it was fading until she was surrounded by a soft orange glow. There was a fountain before her, water trickling languidly from the outstretched arm of an angel. A piano was playing softly in the background, though no piano player was present. It appeared that wherever Sadie was, she was alone. Her eyes diverted from the fountain to the white gossamer curtains she could see a few feet away from her. They danced against the breeze, and behind them she saw the silhouette of a man. She wasn't frightened at all; on the contrary she was excited. Her feet were moving before she was even aware her brain had sent for the action. _

"**_Come to me, Sadie. Don't be scared."_**

_I'm not scared, she thought. She reached for the curtains and let them caress the tips of her fingers. The fabric felt sensual against her skin, the silky pressure of it made her close her eyes and sigh. She made to pull the curtains back but stopped short. A voice called from behind her. It was deep and melodic, laughing softly before speaking._

"**_Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing. Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before."_**

_A chill ran through her. Her arms came around her body, trying to create artificial warmth. She gasped when she realized she was naked. The shadow behind the curtain came closer, one hand stretched toward her. _

"**_Sadie, come here. Let me give you what you've always wanted."_**

_The laughter behind her was coming closer. It seemed that she had two choices. She could stand there and wait for the laughing man to appear, or she could walk through the curtains and give herself to the stranger on the other side. This was a dream and she knew that, so it was only natural that she do what her subconscious insisted she should. With a deep breath she pulled the curtains back and stepped through them into bright white light. She was standing inside the lobby of what she assumed to be a hotel. Patrons moved around her, talking to one another, tipping their hats in her direction. When she looked down at her body she discovered that her nudity was gone. She was wearing a black dress, much like those she had seen in old Victorian era movies. _

_Sadie took a step toward the entrance to the bar area. There was a man sat at one of the stools. His back was to her and he was wearing a black hat and long wool coat. Something told her to keep going, to approach this man. She quickened her steps, desperate now to reach him. Even though he appeared only feet away she never seemed to get any closer. Soon she was running, the heels of her shoes echoing out across the marble tile. _Turn around_, she thought, _just let me see your face_. She watched as he set aside the glass he was drinking from, and then slowly turned to face her. Her legs stopped running and her heart beat faster until her chest hurt. He removed his hat with a gloved hand, placed it over his chest and slowly bowed his head toward her. A head of honey colored curls appeared now, puppy dog eyes that drooped just the slightest bit at the corners, a crooked and warm smile. Marko. _

"**_Come to me, Sadie," he seemed to whisper the words inside her head. "Invite me inside."_**

_A sharp burning spear of fear plunged through her. Sadie did not want to go to this man who looked like her Lost Boy. She wanted to run. Her body turned in a circle, looking for an exit. Behind her the white gossamer curtains appeared in the center of the room. She could see people walking in front of them, behind them and around them. They paid no mind to the curtains hanging in thin air and they seemed oblivious to Sadie as she charged toward them. When she glanced back over her shoulder the well dressed man wearing Marko's face was smiling at her. He lifted his glass of wine and began to laugh. Sadie threw herself through the curtains and felt herself falling. _

"**_Tell me what the lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore." Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."_**


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I love reading your thoughts. This chapter wasn't in the original draft of the story. The original chapter somehow disappeared into the black hole of my computer and so I had to re-write it and try to remember what happened. So, if there are any continuity issues in any of the following chapters I apologize. I promise to get the next chapter up quicker. Thanks again! Keep telling me what you think. ~Stormy~_

1.

It was almost 9 p.m. and Sadie could feel the anxiousness in her growing with every second that passed. Max had taken the night off and Maria had agreed to close the store. Sadie glanced at her watch then back to the window. She was chewing her bottom lip nervously as she waited to see the headlight of Marko's bike cut through the darkness.

"Big date tonight, huh?" Maria smirked a little as she sidled up to Sadie behind the counter.

"Maybe," Sadie answered with a smirk of her own.

"You're going to give ole' Max a heart attack you know," said Maria. "I think that's why he didn't come in tonight. He didn't want to have to watch you ride off with lover boy."

"I need this," Sadie said. "Max is just going to have to trust me."

"I don't think it's you he doesn't trust," Maria told her. "But for what it's worth I'm really happy for you. It's time to get back in the game, girl."

Sadie laughed. "I'm not sure I even know how to play anymore."

Maria gave her a pat on the back. "It's like riding a bike. Or riding a hot guy." She winked and bumped Sadie's hip with her own.

"It's a first date!" Sadie said. "The only thing I'm going to be riding is his motorcycle."

"Mmmmhmm, we'll see."

The bell above the door was a welcome savior from the conversation Sadie didn't want to have, but when she saw the familiar face of her customer her relief vanished. Oh, god, she thought. Not tonight.

Kevin sauntered up to the counter with a smile, his blonde hair perfectly styled and the collar of his shirt flipped upward. "Hey Mariah," he said with a wink. "Long time no see."

"What are you doing here?" Sadie asked, her heart thumping as anger filled her veins.

"I came to see you. We need to talk." He reached for her hand but Sadie stepped away before he could touch her.

"I haven't seen you in six months," she reminded him. "What could you possible have to tell me now?"

Maria stepped forward. "Get out, Kevin. She's not interested."

Sadie appreciated Maria's need to step in. She'd been an eye witness to all those times Sadie came into the store with mascara tracks down her cheeks. But Sadie was different now and she needed to handle this herself. "Kevin, go out side. I'll be there in a sec."

Kevin gave Maria a crooked smile and sauntered out the door with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"You're not really going to go out there," said Maria, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Sadie wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and let out a sigh. "I'm going out there," she said, silencing Maria's protests with a raised finer. "Only to tell him not to come back. The dickhead never gave me a chance to say my part."

Maria looked skeptical but nodded. "All right, but if you need me just holler."

"Thanks." Sadie smiled and moved from behind the counter and then out the front door. Kevin was leaning up against the boardwalk railing waiting for her. With another deep breath for courage Sadie stomped toward him. "What the hell do you want?"

"I made a mistake, Sadie. I miss you."

"How can you miss me? You dumped me for some blonde bimbo and then never called again!" She shook her head and clenched her jaw tight. "No," she told him, eyes narrowed. "I don't want to hear your shit. Go away, Kevin. Maria was right. I am not interested."

The look of surprise on his face was a wonderful sight and Sadie smiled before turning to head back to the store, a feeling of something not unlike pride filling her. She was nearing the door when she felt someone grab her arm and pull her back. Kevin turned her around and gripped both her arms hard.

"You think you're something special now?" he growled. "You were lucky to have me, Sadie. Lucky I even came back here to give you another chance. Now, you owe me a talk."

Sadie tried to pull away but his grip tightened. "Ouch! Kevin, you're hurting me."

The sound of a motorcycle engine rumbled somewhere behind her. "Sadie"! Marko called her name and Kevin let go of her, giving her a push that made her stumble backward. Marko was there almost immediately and steadied her on her feet while looking her over. "You okay?"

"Yes," she said, her voice not much more than a whisper. "I'm fine. Let's just go." Marko gave Kevin a considering look and Sadie gave his arm a tug to bring his attention back to her. "Please, let's just go."

Marko relented and with a nod started to lead her back towards his bike.

"Go ahead!" Kevin called out to them. "I've already popped her cherry! And she's not that good in the sack anyway."

Sadie felt Marko's hand slip from hers. He was already stalking toward Kevin before she could get a grasp on the situation. She ran at him and grabbed the sleeve of his jacket. "Stop, Marko, please. He's not worth it." He looked at her, his chest rising and falling with every deep breath. "Please," she said, hoping like hell to keep him and Kevin as far apart as possible. She didn't know Marko well enough yet to know what kind of temper he had, but she knew Kevin was a hothead that never wanted to look like the weaker person. Even if Marko could kick his ass, which Sadie was pretty sure he could, she didn't want him getting arrested on the boardwalk for fighting her dip shit ex boyfriend.

Marko held her eyes for a moment, seemed to get a hold of himself and then looked at Kevin. "Stay away from her," he said.

Kevin's blue eyes glittered under the boardwalk lights. He looked Marko up and down, starting at the faded boots and ending on the boyish face. "So, this is your type now? You fucking this freak, Sadie?"

Sadie gripped Marko's jacket tighter, feeling his body practically pulsing with heated anger. "Get out of here, Kevin. Go!"

Instead of leaving, Kevin took a step toward them. He was a good two or three inches taller then Marko and seemed pleased with the look of fear on Sadie's face. "You fucking my girlfriend, freak?"

Marko was taken aback; he hadn't been approached by someone actively looking for a fight in a long time. Of course, he was usually flanked by David and the others, but still. To see this rich kid trying to bully him was priceless. He felt his lips curl into a smile as he began to hatch out his plans for Kevin.

"She's not your girlfriend," Marko stated calmly.

Kevin laughed and leaned down so that he was eye level with Marko. "If you don't want my sloppy seconds, _freak_, you'll have to fuck her in the ass. But I bet you'd like that wouldn't you? You can pretend she's your boyfriend." Another barrel of laughter came out of Kevin's mouth and Sadie knew she couldn't hold Marko back much longer. And she was right. Before she or Kevin could even register what had happened Marko's fist was connecting with Kevin's abdomen.

Kevin's face paled as he crouched forward, coughing and sputtering as Marko delivered another blow to his kidney. Marko grabbed a fistful of blonde hair and pulled Kevin's head back so that he was looking deep into a pair of glittering amber eyes. Kevin flinched, unsure whether what he was seeing was real or not. Marko placed his mouth next to Kevin's ear and laughed. The laugh was low and menacing and even as Kevin was trying to pull himself away Marko was holding him in place. "I'm not going to sugarcoat this for you, Kevin. You come near Sadie again and I'll rip your fucking throat out." He was saying the words so that Sadie couldn't hear, but Kevin's face registered the fear he was feeling. "I might rip your goddamn throat out just for fun." Another laugh. "Sleep with your light on." He let go of Kevin's hair with a shove. The blonde fell to his knees with tears running down his cheeks, his arms wrapped around his midsection.

Marko took Sadie by the hand and walked her briskly away from the scene as more and more people started to gather around the crying man. She looked back once to see Kevin waving people away, clearly embarrassed, and then hurry into the crowd until she couldn't see him anymore. When the got to Marko's bike Sadie let go of his hand.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, not angry, but concerned. "What if he reports you?"

"He won't report me," Marko said. "He's going to go home and change his pants and think twice about ever bothering you or anyone else again."

"You shouldn't have done that."

"He shouldn't have stepped to me," Marko said simply. "I was going to walk away but he couldn't let it go."

Sadie gave Marko a long look. She could see the regret washing over his features, afraid that he had crossed a line she wouldn't let him come back from. "Thank you," she finally said. "For sticking up for me like that."

"I'm sorry that happened," he told her. "Not the best start to our first date."

Sadie looked down at her feet and shrugged her shoulders. "No, I guess it isn't."

Marko sighed and then took both her hands in his forcing her eyes back to his face. "Let me take you home," he said. "And tomorrow night I'll pick you up here at the same time and we'll start again."

Part of Sadie felt disappointed but part of her was glad too. If they went on their date now it would consist of awkward conversation that always came back to Marko apologizing and Sadie feeling guilty for being a little concerned about Kevin. No, she wouldn't let Kevin ruin this for her. "Okay," she smiled. "I think that's a good idea."

He took her back to her house and walked her to the front porch. Sadie was glad to see Hayden wasn't home. "Thanks," she said, taking her keys out of her bag. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Marko smiled and took a step closer to her. "You bet." He took another step until he was so close she could feel his breath on her lips. "Goodnight, Miss Sadie." He closed his eyes and on instinct she closed hers. When his lips met hers she felt every bad thing that had happened that evening disappear. Without giving it a second thought she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt his hands tangle in her hair. His tongue slipped between her lips and Sadie felt the tingle in her belly. She wanted this guy. And she wanted him now.

"Wait," she said, pulling back and placing her hands on his chest. They were both breathing heavy, Marko smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No," she laughed. "I just think…we should slow down."

Marko nodded. "You're probably right."

"I'm sorry," she said, feeling the need to explain. "I'm just not sure…"

Marko put his finger against her lips silencing her. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Apologizing for things you shouldn't be apologizing for. I'll see you tomorrow." He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss before walking back to his bike. Sadie stood there and watched him go, her fingers subconsciously touching her lips as though she didn't believe they were still there. Marko gave her one last smile before the bike lurched forward and he was nothing but a pinprick in the distance.

Tomorrow couldn't come for her soon enough.

2.

Kevin was glad his parents lived away from everyone else. Their little suburban mansion on the hill surrounded by nothing but Catalina Cherry trees and the twinkling lights of the boardwalk in the distance. He was also glad his parents were on vacation in San Francisco and wouldn't be there to see the piss stain on his new jeans. He couldn't get those eyes out of his head, and while half of him was thoroughly convinced that the four beers he had before going to the video store were to blame, the other half of him was positive that those eyes had been real, and anything but human.

When he walked through the front door he froze, waiting to make sure his sister Keri was asleep before turning on the hall lights. Sure she was out for the count and he could throw his jeans in the laundry before anyone saw them, Kevin flipped on the light and started to undo his belt buckle. He had his pants unzipped when a voice emerged from the kitchen to his right and Keri came walking out with a coke in one hand and wearing a confused expression.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Kevin said, trying to cover the crotch of his jeans with his hands. "Go to bed!"

"Did you piss your pants?" Keri asked, squinting to get a better look. "Oh my god! You did! You pissed your pants."

"Shut up, Keri!" Kevin marched toward her and held his fisted hands at his side. When Keri got a good look at his face she stopped laughing. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean? I had some beers and I pissed my pants. Big fucking deal."

She shook her head. "You've been crying."

Kevin turned away from her and wiped furiously at his cheeks. "Go to bed, Keri."

"I take it the talk with Sadie didn't go well."

"Fuck that bitch," Kevin spat. "She can keep that freak, what the fuck do I care?" But deep down he did care. Yes, he had been an asshole when they were together and he was certainly an asshole to her tonight, but that didn't change the fact that he had spent the whole drive home feeling that she was in trouble. Those eyes were haunting him. "I need to call her," he said to himself. "I've got to warn her."

No sooner had he said the words when the sound of rumbling engines echoed out through the room and headlights swept through the windows. He jumped back in surprise and felt Keri behind him gripping his shirt. "What is that?"

"Motorcycles," he said softly and he remembered the motorcycle Sadie's boyfriend had rolled up on. "Go upstairs!" he ordered. "In your room and lock the door."

Laughter was coming from outside, his name being called out onto the wind. "Kevin what's going on?" Keri was crying, damn near hysterical as the laughing got louder and the headlights brighter.

Kevin turned to her and gave her a push. "Go upstairs, Keri! Call the cops from your phone!" She nodded and ran up the stairs toward her room. Just as she reached the landing the sounds stopped and the headlights disappeared. All the lights disappeared.

"Kevin!" she called, her hands gripping the railing of the staircase hard.

"It's just a fuse," he answered. "We're okay now. I'll go out to the garage and flip the switch."

"Who was that? Do you still want me to call the cops?"

There was an agonizingly long pause before he said, "Yeah, call the cops."

She heard the garage door open and close. Still scared, but relieved that whoever had been outside was now gone, Keri hurried into her room and locked the door. She flipped her light switch but nothing happened. "Shit," she muttered, bumping into her dresser while trying to find her phone in the dark. A breeze from her open window was making the curtains flap gently. For a moment Keri thought she saw a shadow standing in the corner by her bed, but with a blink of her eyes it was gone. She didn't move. Her breath was lodged in her throat as she heard her name whispered softly. She didn't know what to do. A noise to her left forced her eyes to dart in that direction and this time she saw more than a shadow, she saw a person. He was illuminated by the moonlight seeping in through the curtains, his bleached blonde hair a halo around his head.

"Hello, sugar," he said, his voice deep and hypnotic. "Aren't you pretty."

"Very pretty." Another voice came behind her and Keri screamed. She would have kept screaming too, but her voice was cut off by the sharp pain that shot through her body. A heavy heat enveloped her; a weight crushed her until she couldn't breathe. _I'm dying._

Laughter filled the room as Keri Moffitt took her last breath.

3.

Kevin crept forward until he was standing in the dark garage. He felt around for the flashlight he knew was hanging on a hook by the door. When he had it in his trembling hands he turned it on and scanned the room. All he saw was his father's Porsche and various tools and workout equipment none of them ever used. With a deep breath he hurried over to the fuse box and opened it up. His eyes narrowed as he saw that each tab was in the right position. The lights should be working. If it wasn't the fuse box that meant that something was wrong with the electrical grid. Maybe it was a blackout. It wouldn't be the first time the city of Santa Carla had lost power due to all the AC's in the area being cranked to full blast. And it had been a hot day. He went over all the possibilities in his mind and walked back into the house.

He went to the window by the front door and peered outside. The boardwalk was still lit up, as were the houses down the hill. Was his house on a different grid? He supposed that was possible. When he turned around the flashlight fell from his hand and hit the tile floor with a clank. "I'll be damned," he said. His bladder let loose for a second time that night as fear took him over. Sadie's boyfriend was standing in front of him, but all Kevin could really focus on were those eyes.

"Scared?" Marko asked, following the question with a laugh.

Kevin hurled himself toward the monster, not giving himself time to think on his actions and was about to body slam Marko when his hands were suddenly grabbing at air. Kevin stumbled forward off the step that led into the formal living room and grunted when he hit the sofa hard.

"Where are you?" he shouted, getting to his feet quickly and scanning the darkness with his eyes. "What are you?"

"Me?" Marko's voice came from above Kevin. When Kevin looked up it was only to see a fist come flying at his face. "I'm death." Marko was on the other side of the room now, laughing as he watched Kevin stumble backward clutching his nose.

"Where's Sadie," Kevin said, blood dribbling out of his mouth and nose. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing yet," answered the monster. "Killing her now before I've had a chance to have any fun? That seems kind of cruel."

"Don't you touch her!" Kevin screamed, turning around in blind circles as Marko's laughter drifted from one corner of the room to the other.

"It's not Sadie you should really be worried about right now," said Marko. His statement was followed by a loud thump coming from near the stairs. Kevin ran for the entry way and skidded to a stop as he saw his sister's broken body lying at the foot of the stairs, a beam of light from the fallen flashlight shining on her wide open eyes and bloody face.

"Keri!" Kevin ran toward her and suddenly found himself face fist on the ground, his sneakers having slid in his sisters' blood now spreading in red rivers across the white marble tile.

"Ah, shit," Paul laughed from somewhere up above. "Did you see that?"

"I saw it," said David as he emerged from the darkness behind Marko.

Kevin was alternating between screaming and crying hysterically. Paul vaulted himself over the top railing and landed with graceful ease in front of Kevin. "You want to shut the fuck up, please?"

"You killed my sister," Kevin was saying over and over, holding Keri's lifeless hand tight.

"She was delicious," Paul smiled and licked his lips.

Dwayne chose to walk down the stairs, wiping away Keri's blood from his lips as he did. "It's getting late. We need to go."

"Sadie," Kevin said.

Marko stepped forward. "What about her?"

Kevin's voice was shaking, his whole body trembling as the four vampires slowly surrounded him. "Don't hurt her, please. She…she's a good person."

Marko got down on one knee and looked straight into Kevin's eyes. He'd shifted back into his boyish mask, making the other monsters around him that much more terrifying to Kevin. "Which is exactly why she'll taste so good," Marko said. "You took her innocence but I'm going to take her life. How poetic is that?"

Kevin was crying harder now, and turned his head to look at Keri. He was an asshole, always had been. He knew that now in these final moments of life. He was the reason Keri was dead and the reason Sadie had left him to fall into the arms of a devil. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Marko lifted his booted heel and drove it into Kevin's back with a force that seemed to shake the room. The sound of his spine cracking echoed loudly in Kevin's ears but he was relieved that the pain had been short lived.

Marko shifted once more and used his fangs to rip at Kevin's neck; tearing away pieces of flesh in a frenzy that made the others hunger once more. They all joined in on the final feast. Kevin listened to the wet, suckling sound they made as they took his blood.

_I'm sorry, he thought. I'm sorry._


	5. Chapter 5

_Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time to read this story and to leave me your thoughts! I love to hear what you think about the characters and the world they find themselves in. Keep it up and thanks again! ~Stormy~_

1.

Santa Carla, 1966

_Sarah Daniels walked slowly along the boardwalk, her hands stuffed into the pockets of her jeans. She'd been in Santa Carla for a little over six months, making ends meet by sketching portraits for tourists at three dollars a picture. She spent all day sketching, then spent the night wondering around the boardwalk and taking walks up and down the beach. There was a freedom in her new life that she had never experienced in Soquel. Everything about Santa Carla represented freedom; from the amusement park rides that made you feel like you were flying, to the carousel that spun you in circles like a misty dream. She rented a room above the local market, and while it wasn't much in the way of luxury, Sarah managed to make it a real home. She was lost in the glittering lights of the carousel when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Sarah turned around and was met by the face of a handsome stranger. His hair was a striking blonde, and his eyes were a crystal blue. _

"_I'm sorry to stop you," he said. "But you're the girl who does portraits, right?"_

_Sarah nodded. "During the day."_

"_That's a shame. I can only make it out here after dark."_

"_Were you wanting your portrait done?" she asked. She wouldn't normally have offered to do a sketch during her off time, but the man was incredibly handsome and would make for an interesting session. Sarah normally sketched young children or teenage girls. Men rarely sat down and let a woman scrutinize them in that way._

_He nodded his head, a smile pulling up the right corner of his lips. "If you think you have the time. I would pay you extra, of course."_

_That seemed to be the clincher for Sarah. Even someone as carefree as her wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to make some extra cash. She motioned to a bench. "Have a seat."_

"_Do you think we could do this somewhere with less people?" The man was still smiling, but Sarah sensed a tightness to the smile now. Maybe he was shy._

_Sarah glanced back at the beach. A few fires were scattered around, most of them abandoned by their makers in favor of the boardwalk night life. The fire would provide enough light to get a decent sketch done. "All right. We can go down on the beach." _

"_Thank you." He let her start walking, then kept his pace at an even stride with hers. The long black coat he was wearing smelled strongly of cigarette smoke and something else Sarah couldn't identify. It didn't smell bad, just different. "How long have you lived here?" he asked, offering her his arm when they began to descend the steep stairs that dropped down onto the beach. _

_Sarah pretended she didn't notice the gesture and held onto the railing instead. "Just a little while," she answered. _

_They didn't say anything else, just walked side by side toward the last bon fire that had not been destroyed by the rising tide. "Have a seat," she said, pointing at a spot on the sand. "This shouldn't take too long."_

"_Take your time," he said with a smile. "I'm in no hurry."_

_Sarah sat down opposite him with her legs crossed Indian style. She pulled the battered sketch pad from her bag and three slim charcoal pencils. "Do you want this to be a profile? Or just a straight view of your face."_

"_Whatever you suggest. You're the artist after all." Sarah smiled back, feeling a sudden warmth spreading through her. This was such an intimate situation. Being alone on the beach, starring at a handsome man with the aid of firelight. She drew the first line onto the paper and prepared herself for the portrait. "What's your name?"_

"_Sarah," she said softly, her eyes focusing on parts of his face before returning to the sketchpad. "What's yours?"_

"_David."_

_That was as far as Sarah let the conversation go. The fire was already beginning to lose its flame, and when the light was gone she would need to have his picture finished. Maybe when they were done he would ask her to dinner. Sarah would have liked the chance to have dinner with this handsome stranger. If only to have some company. All the time she'd been in Santa Carla she had yet to make any friends, and the loneliness was beginning to get to her. Loneliness was a bad thing to have when you were a single woman alone. It made you do stupid things, like follow strange men to secluded parts of the beach. She was twenty-one and alone. It felt utterly depressing when you separated it into two parts like that. _

**_Sarah, look at me. _**

_David had sent the demand into her mind half a dozen times in the last few minutes. Still she kept staring at the sketch pad, never once acknowledging him. He placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. _**_I said, look at me._**

"_We're just about done," Sarah said, eyes still on the paper. _

_David sat back, his blood boiling with curious wonder. He focused harder, his eyes boring deeper into his intended target. _**_"Come here, Sarah. Come to me." _**_Still she kept sketching, her hand flying across the page in zigzagged swoops. He could hear her heart beating in his ears, the blood pumping through her like a song. She was special, this strange girl on the boardwalk. She couldn't hear him in her head. She was deaf to his suggestion, and he had never met another mortal capable of such a thing. If she was able to unknowingly defend herself from his vampire advances, then that must mean she had some engrained special power. What would happen to that skill if it were infused with the power in his blood? "Are you thirsty?" he suddenly asked._

_Sarah stopped and lifted her eyes from the paper. David was leering at her, his eyes shimmering in the orange light. She felt a strange prickle of nervousness swirl in her belly. "What?"_

"_Thirsty?" he asked again. "I've got some wine here." He reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out a silver flask. He held it out toward her._

"_No, I'm fine," Sarah said, her mouth feeling dry even as she refused him._

"_You sure?"_

"_Yes, I'm positive." She looked back down at the sketch pad and began filling in the blank spaces. This no longer felt like a good place to be. She wasn't sure what it was, but she could feel the uneasiness hanging on the air. Even as she felt the saliva swell in her mouth at the thought of drinking the wine, her brain somehow knew that she shouldn't. "Here you are," she said. With a quick placement of her initials at the bottom of the page, she ripped the paper from the pad and handed it to him. _

_David took it from her and looked down at the amazing likeness of himself. It had been so long since he'd seen what he looked like. He'd not looked into a mirror and seen his own reflection in over a hundred years. To see his smile, his eyes, all reflected so passionately on the page was magic. He inhaled slowly, then lifted his eyes to Sarah's face. She was waiting for him to pay her, but he could sense her apprehension now. She was ready to bolt. He folded the paper in half then slipped into his coat pocket. "Six dollars, right?"_

"_Yes, six dollars."_

_He smiled and reached into his other pocket. He took out a handful of crumpled dollar bills and handed them to her. "More then six," he said, "but well worth it."_

_Sarah snatched the money out of his hand and stuffed it into her bag without counting it. David continued to stare at her, noticing those warm chocolate eyes that seemed suddenly so aware of the danger she was really in. He wanted her; he wanted to make her one of them. Every beat of her heart screamed out to him to take her, to bring her into his dark world and see what she could do to it. _

"_Thank you," she said, then hurriedly got to her feet. "I hope you like it."_

"_It's wonderful." He gazed into her face, still trying to penetrate her mind with his will, but not breaking through with even a crack. "Should we celebrate?" He held the flask out to her once more._

"_I need to get home," she said, her voice wavering slightly._

_The last of the flames were suddenly out. The ocean grabbing at the wood and dragging it back into the surf. She got to her feet, tripping over her bag before finally finding her footing. The night felt too dark now, the stars and the moon hiding behind the purple clouds. _

"_Sarah, why don't you just try it," David said. He had stood up as well and was blocking her way. The flask was in his hand, reaching for her._

"_Why? What's in it?" Her heartbeat was getting faster, blood was rushing at a frenzied pace. Somewhere behind her she could hear the sound of soft laughter. _

"_Immortality," David whispered, his face hidden in the darkness, his eyes beginning to change their color. "One drink Sarah, and you'll never again be alone."_

"_No," she said, shaking her head. _

_He stepped toward her, his eyes glowing amber. "Drink it, Sarah. Be one of us."_

_Sarah felt the tears in her eyes. The horror of what she knew him to be was beginning to strangle her. The laughter behind her grew louder and louder. The clouds above her opened up, spilling a light rain down upon them. "I'm not going to," she said. _

_David laughed at her stubbornness. "You'd rather die? You would give up this gift I'm offering you in exchange for death?"_

_Sarah ran forward, trying to go past him, but he was too quick. One second she was running down the beach toward safety, and the next he had her in his arms, his hand over her mouth as she tried to struggle. He held her back into his chest, growling in her ear. "Last chance," he hissed. She could feel the tips of his fangs scraping at the skin of her throat as he talked. "I don't want to kill you, Sarah."_

_Her thoughts were an incoherent jumbled mess as they tumbled inside her brain. She was seeing little Sadie in her crib, sleeping peacefully, so unaware of the horrible things that this world had to offer. If she drank from that flask, she would be just like this monster behind her. That couldn't happen, she wouldn't let it. "Fuck you," she growled beneath his palm. The words were muddled but David seemed to have heard them. He threw her down into the sand, her stomach slamming hard into the ground and expelling all the air from her lungs. She had no time to think about what might happen next. David fell down on top of her, pushing her face into the sand until she was choking on it. _

"_You're a stupid bitch, Sarah." _

_She was frozen, unable to do anything while he sank those sharp teeth into her neck. He sucked hard at the wounds he'd made, then used his teeth to tear the skin apart, more blood pumping into his mouth in warm spurts. His nails dug into the flesh of her arms as he pulled deeper at her with his teeth and lips. Sarah could feel herself fading. David let her go just long enough to flip her over. Now she was on her back, staring up into the nightmarish face above her. He laughed low to himself then dropped his head back down, his teeth piercing that beautiful blue vein in her neck. _

_Her blood tasted like nothing he'd ingested before. It was sweet and thick. The more he drank from her, the more alive he felt. He found her hands above her head and laced his fingers with hers. He wished she would have taken a drink, or that he would have forced her. He would never know now what she might have been like as one of them. So he continued to drink until he felt the last shudder of life pass through her. _

_Sarah Daniels was twenty-one years old. _

2.

"You've done a wonderful job here, Sadie. Very impressive." Max stood back from the posters Sadie had taped up on the windows. It was a promotional venture meant to bring in more customers, but it really just looked like the wall of some adolescent's bedroom. Sadie wasn't sure if Max really thought it was great, or humoring her because it was in his nature to make everyone feel useful and good about themselves.

"It's just some posters, Max. Really, it's not a big deal."

Max swung his arm around Sadie's shoulders and pulled her into his side. "Peanut, you need to give yourself more credit then that. Now, where should we go to celebrate?"

Sadie looked up at him with furrowed brows. "Celebrate?"

"Yes. I thought I would take you and Maria out to dinner tonight after we close up. My little way of saying thank you for all the hard work you've done."

Sadie looked down at the ground. "I, um, I sort of already have plans tonight."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "A date."

"Oh." Max dropped his arm from her shoulder. "With that boy from the other night?"

Sadie nodded and was about to say more when Maria came out of the store. "Hey, we should cut out of here early. They say a storm is coming in tonight. I don't know about you two but I sure as hell don't want to be stuck in the rain. I gotta walk home."

Max ran his hand over the back of his head. "I don't know. We really need all the paying customers we can get right now."

"You two go ahead," Sadie chimed in. "I can close up. It's not a problem."

"Girl, you are a life savor!" Maria smiled then headed back into the store.

"I'll stay with you," Max said.

"No, you should take Maria to that dinner. I know she'd love it."

He nodded, his lips pursed together. "Alright, then." He turned away from her and went back into the store without another word.

Sadie watched him through the window. She wished there was some way to convince Max that she wasn't making a mistake with Marko. It wasn't even like they were in a relationship. This would be their second date, if he even showed up. But she wanted him to show up. There was just something about him that was so different from anyone she'd ever known. He was like a Rubik's cube waiting to be cracked. Plus, after Kevin, she needed to be with someone who wasn't all about himself. It would be nice to be with someone who was all about her.

It was thirty minutes later that Sadie was behind the counter watching through the window as the sky darkened. A rumble of thunder preceded the first few rain drops that pelted the boardwalk.

"You sure you don't want me to stay and help you close?" Maria asked, even as she was putting on her jacket. She leaned into the counter with a smile. "I really wish you'd come to dinner with us."

"No, its fine. I have plans later anyway."

Maria smiled at her. "Another date with Mr. Right? It's funny; he doesn't seem like your type at all."

"I don't have a type."

"Well, I think its great you guys are going out again." Maria glanced over her shoulder to Max's office door. He was inside finishing up a telephone call. "And don't worry about Max. He just gets a little paternal at times, in case you hadn't noticed."

Sadie smiled. "I noticed."

Max's office door opened. He came out buttoning up the black sports coat he'd worn with a pair of dark denim. "Are we ready?"

"Absolutely," Maria said. "I'm starving. See you tomorrow Sadie."

"Bye."

"I wish you'd come with us," Max said, though there was little enthusiasm in his voice.

She had a date with a guy she was really in to, so why was she tempted to tell Max she would have dinner with him after all. Even as she thought this, she knew the answer. She was afraid of upsetting Max. He was a wonderful man, who had made her life in Santa Carla a great experience, and he did not want her seeing Marko.

"Next time," was all she could think to say.

Max gave a curt nod. "Goodnight, Sadie."

"Goodnight."

She let her gaze follow Max and Maria as they climbed into his red sports car. She watched them with a feeling of sadness. If only she could get Max to see Marko the way she did. It made sense that his dislike of Marko came specifically from his dislike of David. What had David done to deserve that?

The rest of the evening was uneventful and by closing time the storm had hit hard. The boardwalk was filled with people running with umbrellas, some laughing as the rain cooled the summer air. Sadie locked the front door and waited under the awning. Marko had said he would be there when she closed up. Thirty minutes later, he was a no show. Sadie felt the tears sting her eyes when she realized he wasn't coming. Because she had expected to be riding behind Marko on his bike, she had left her car at home. Now, she had no choice but to walk.

She walked along the beach, the rain coming down hard and soaking her clothes straight through. Her teeth were chattering as she wrapped her arms around her body trying to get warm. It was a three mile walk from the boardwalk to her house, and as she felt herself sinking into the wet sand, her sadness turned to anger. How could she have been so stupid? The excitement of being with someone again, someone so different from Kevin, had swept her up in an illusion that was dangerous. She felt like she had been caught under the wheel of his motorcycle, the tire flattening her against the asphalt with no where to go. Max had been right; Sadie had just been too stupid and stubborn to listen.

When she reached the house she could no longer feel her feet. Her head was down, trying to avoid the fierce rain hitting her eyes. That was why she hadn't seen him standing on her front porch. When she finally looked up she was stunned into silence. Marko was leaning against her house, his hair a mess of wet curls and the exposed skin on his chest glistened beneath the overhead porch light.

"What are you doing here?" Sadie asked, her voice shaking despite her attempts to sound angry.

Marko took a step toward her. "I'm sorry. Something came up and I...I'm just really sorry."

Sadie sighed and shook her head. She was having deja vu. Kevin had shown up on her porch many a time saying exactly the same thing. "Whatever," she mumbled. "If you'll excuse me I have to go get warm." She moved past him and had her key in the door when she felt him grab her arm.

"Come on, Sadie. I'm sorry, I mean it. Let's just start over."

She couldn't help but laugh. The sound was bitter and forced. "Start what over? You left me to walk home in the rain. I think it's safe to say I won't be attempting to start anything over with you."

Marko let go of her arm but blocked her way to the door. "I made a mistake. You don't make those?"

She had made them all the time when she was with Kevin. One mistake after another and she'd suffered for all of them. As much as she wanted to try with Marko, she just couldn't. He left her alone on what was supposed to be their second date, and then had the nerve to show up on her front porch thinking an apology was all that was needed to secure him another chance. Sadie would not be that girl, so desperate for affection from a man that she lowered herself to these levels of pathetic.

"I make mistakes, but I learn from them. You're not going to be my next mistake." There was a quick flash of something in Marko's eyes. It happened so fast Sadie wasn't sure she hadn't imagined it. Still, it caused her to take a step away from him. "You should go."

"This is bullshit," Marko said, narrowing his eyes on her. "I'm not like that asshole you dated before, Sadie. Something came up, something I had to do. You can't punish me for that."

"Maybe not," she said, dropping her eyes so she wouldn't have to look at his face anymore. "But I think it's what's best for me." She lifted her eyes, feeling more secure with her decision. "It was too early for me to go out with you anyway. Maybe if I weren't such a wreck, we could have given this a go. But I'm not ready."

"So that's it?"

Sadie nodded. She'd known him for a little over a week, no time at all, but she was already feeling the ache of his soon to be absence in her life. It only reassured her that this was the right thing to do. If she felt this strongly for him after only one failed date, one kiss, surely any real time in a relationship would destroy her if and when it ended. She didn't feel like she could say goodbye, so she simply side stepped him, turned the lock on her door and went inside. With her back to the door she let the tears start to fall. Kevin had broken her heart, and she had put too much faith in Marko as the one to fix it. This was her fault when it came down to specifics. Deep in the corners of her mind she could hear Marko's voice, **_"Open the door, Sadie. One more chance."_** So she went into the kitchen and took the bottle of chilled vodka out of the fridge. After five quick shots, she couldn't hear him anymore.

3.

The only sound in Marko's ears was the wind as it whipped around him, tugging at his hair and slamming him in the face with rain. He was standing on the pier, watching Sadie's house in the distance. His stomach growled with hunger and as he gripped the wooden railing hard he knew he could no longer deny himself. So what if she could resist his call. What difference did it really make that he could not worm his way inside her head and play with it like it was his own personal toy box. He wanted her blood. More than he had ever wanted someone's blood before.

As he dropped down off the pier into the sand Marko knew what he was going to do. He would go in through the window he knew her roommate had left opened in the back of the house. Then he would walk down the hall to Sadie's room and drink from her like the life spring she was. Lightening forked in the sky, filling the air with sharp electricity. He ran towards Sadie's house, and then willed himself to take flight. When he landed on her roof he could hear the slow steady hum of her breathing. She was asleep now, drunk, and so unaware of his presence it was laughable. He was almost happy she had refused his apology, if she'd accepted it; he wouldn't be hunting her now.

He tilted his head up to the black sky and closed his eyes as the rain dropped onto his face. His tongue reached from between his lips and licked away the moisture that had gathered there. The hunger was growing, gnawing inside him and begging to be released. He couldn't wait anymore.

"You know, if you kill her now you'll never know why she can resist us."

Marko was startled by the sound of David's voice and turned to find his pack standing behind him. He looked at Paul with an accusing glare. "Don't blame him," David laughed. "I know because I have tried to call to her myself."

Marko slowly stood and shook his head. "Why? You knew she was mine."

"I had to check my hunch. It's not like you to let someone go, especially when I could feel how hungry you were for her." He reached out a gloved hand and placed it on Marko's shoulder. "I forgive you for keeping it from me."

Marko shrugged David's hand away. He was angry that they had all shown up here when he was about to indulge in what was rightfully his. He had claimed Sadie fair and square. There was no part of him that was willing to share her. "I don't care why she can resist us," Marko growled. "She's just a human. She's just _blood_."

David's lips curled into a smile. He turned over his shoulder to Dwayne and Paul then gave them a nod. Seconds later they were gone, disappearing into the inky night sky. "She's a lot more than that, Marko, and you know it. Have you ever known a human who could resist us before?"

"That artist," Marko said, his jaw set tight. "The one you killed."

David nodded. "That was a mistake I wish I could take back. The only thing I've ever done in my immortal life I regret."

Marko stared at David and then heard the sound of a car coming toward the house. They both dropped to their stomachs and watched as Sadie's roommate staggered up to the house clearly drunk.

"Mmmm, I like that one," David laughed. "Maybe we could keep her too."

After Hayden had gone inside Marko and David stood up once more, the rain hiding them as they continued to stand on the roof of the beach house. "What are you talking about? We're not keeping anyone. I'll tell you what, you like that one so much then you can have her while I take Sadie. I'm done playing this fucking game." He narrowed his eyes on David and said, "I'm _hungry_." He turned his back on David and prepared to drop down from the roof when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. David was holding him by the hair and pulled Marko back into his chest.

"She's not on the menu anymore," David hissed. He let Marko go and laughed deeply as Marko rubbed the back of his head.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Since when do you decide who I kill and who I don't?"

"It's not up to me, Marko. This isn't my call."

"Max." It was a statement, not a question. Their master, the one who had sired David, which meant he had sired them all.

David gave Marko a long, considering look. He nodded toward the empty stretch of beach and took off. Marko followed, his stomach still growling, his nature still demanding Sadie's blood. When they landed her house was far behind them.

David began to explain. "Why do you think she works in that store? I hope you haven't been so blinded by wanting her that you don't have enough common sense to know she's off limits."

"He let me take her out," Marko said, confused. If she was forbidden fruit then why would Max have allowed Marko to get close to her?

"He knew his little princess would like you," David said with a hint of disgust. "Don't you get it? You were the bait, Marko."

"He wants to turn her," Marko said, the confusion still etched on his face. "Why?"

"The same reason I wanted to turn that artist all those years ago. To see what our blood will do to her. And he cares about her. I don't know why, but I suppose sons aren't enough for him anymore. Max wants a daughter."

"No," Marko said, a feeling of heated anger bubbling up in him. "I'm not going to play Mr. Nice Guy anymore just so Max can have Sadie."

"You think you have a choice? Max holds the cards, Marko. My blood is _his_ blood. You're his childe as much as you're mine."

Marko turned his back on David and ran his hands through his hair. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Damn him for not killing her when he had the chance. David stood beside him, their eyes trained on the churning surf and the purple clouds that continued to douse the city.

"She's through with me," Marko said. "You heard her. It's already done."

"I know you," said David, his eyes still on the sea. "You enjoy playing Mr. Nice Guy. And think about what you're being offered, Marko. The chance to have what you were denied a century ago."

"Stop," Marko said, his voice tinged with a painful pleading. "Don't talk about that."

David turned to him with a snarl. "Look at you! Getting sentimental in your old age? A hundred years and you're still not over that bitch. Well now is your chance to have what she refused you."

"Sadie isn't _her,_" Marko whispered.

"But she could be. Are you going to try and convince me that some part of you doesn't want her? That you don't want to be her teacher like I was yours." He took Marko by the shoulders and turned him so that they were facing one another. "Mary Ann made her choice, Marko and you made yours. If you won't bring her to us I will. Is that what you want?"

"No," said Marko, surprised at how much he really felt the word. If Sadie was to be like them, if she was to be a part of this world with them, then he wanted to be her guide.

David smiled. "Then tomorrow you go and patch things up with her."

"And if she still doesn't want anything to do with me?"

David turned his attention once again to the water. "Then there are other ways to get what we want."

Thunder crashed above them and the rain continued to fall. As they lifted into the air Marko took another look at the beach house with the little red Chevy in the driveway. Sadie slept inside, unaware that she was a pawn on their chessboard. She had no idea about the choice she would soon have to make.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Thank you so much to all of you who have left me your thoughts. It has really lit the writing spark for me and I've been writing like a mad woman. I had a whole other idea of where this story was going to go, but the little muse inside my head had a better idea. So, I hope you stick around for the ride and make sure to buckle up. It's going to get bumpy. ;) Keep leaving me your thoughts and feedback. They really help to keep the momentum going. ~Stormy~_**

1.

_Sadie knew she was dreaming. Once again she was inside the lobby of a hotel wearing the long black Victorian dress she had worn in the other dream. Beyond the lobby she saw the bar and sitting on a chair with his back to her was the man she had seen before, the one who wore Marko's face. _

_She walked across the room, focusing on the sound of her dress as it skirted the floor. As she neared the bar she smelled Marko's scent, so overwhelming was the memory that she stumbled backward. He slowly turned on his stool, smiling softly at her, then lifted his glass in salute. He was wearing the same black hat and long wool coat, a fitted vest of green silk beneath it. He reached his hand out to her. Sadie took his hand and breathed deeply as he leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on her cheek. _

_"My love," he whispered in her ear. "I was so afraid you would not come back to me."_

_"I did not want to," she heard herself say. "How can you love me, Marko? How can you love me when your love belongs to another now?"_

_Marko sighed and removed his hat then ran his fingers through the golden curls. "You do not know what you say, Mary Ann. My want is not for him, but for what he can give us."_

_She pulled her hand away from him and wiped at the tears she only now realized were falling down her cheeks. "I came to say goodbye. That is all." She held his gaze and for a moment wasn't sure she would be able to do what she knew had to come next. "Goodbye." Sadie never looked back as she strode across the lobby and out the front doors. She was met with a gust of cold air, followed by the bright moonlight shining down upon the deep green lawns, the evening dew sparkling. Her feet carried her across the grass, through a maze of hedges and finally to the shore of a lake. Moments later she heard the sound of Marko's footsteps and his labored breath as he ran after her. Though she knew in her heart that Marko was not evil, she knew that evil followed him. It had been courting him for some time, and tonight he was going to marry himself to it. _

_"Mary Ann!" he shouted, stopping a few feet behind her. "Don't walk away from me. Please, come with me."_

_Sadie turned to face him, taken back by the droopy sorrow in his eyes. "Is this what you really want?" she asked incredulously. "To never feel the beauty of time as it fades, or know what the peaceful dance of death is like. This is your want, Marko?"_

_"Who wants death?" he asked, holding his hands out with exasperation. "Who would choose the withered effects of age and the end of life when they can have youth and live forever?" He walked toward her and let his eyes penetrate her own. "I trust him, Mary Ann. All I ask is that you trust him too."_

_"He drinks the blood of living people," she said sharply. "He is a monster, and you will become like him."_

_Marko looked hurt and then angry. He reached out and grabbed her by the arms, his grip so tight she knew bruises were already forming. "You promised yourself to me. You are my wife!"_

_Sadie tried to pull away from him, but his fingers dug into her skin deeper. "I promised you my life, Marko. My life until death parted us." She shook her head, watching the blue in his eyes darken to fiery amber. "You live on this earth no longer."_

_"I am not like him," Marko spat. "I have not tasted blood."_

_Sadie brushed his cheek with her fingertips. "But you want to."_

_He let her go then, shoving her back as the pain and realization that what she was saying was true spread throughout him. "I want you," he said, looking up at her with teary eyes. "For always."_

_"Not like this."_

_"Why?" he screamed. "If you love me, then you love all of me!"_

_Sadie took a step backward. She could feel the cold water of the lake seeping in through her leather boots. "I will always love the man you once were," she said, her voice breaking with tears. She reached down and lifted a heavy rock into her hands. She could barely lift it, but her fingers clutched it with all her might. Sadie took another step back and then another._

_Marko watched her with confusion. "What are you doing, Mary Ann?" _

_"Better to leave this world," she said, "then to walk it without you." The water was at her chin now. Another step and she would be under. _

_"Get out of the water," Marko screamed. "Get out now!"_

_"Will you choose me," she called to him. "Will you choose to grow old with me?"_

_He shook his head. "Don't do this! Come back here. Be with me. For always." _

_Sadie knew that her love would never be enough to stop Marko from accepting the dark gift of immortality. Over his shoulder she could see the one who held the gift hiding in the shadows. She loved Marko so much it hurt, but the idea of spending forever in the servitude of eternal hunger and the blood of innocents, was too much for her to bear._

_"Goodbye, my love." She took the last step and water filled her mouth, the sound of it rushing in her ears. Her grip on the rock never loosened._

_"Mary Ann! Mary Ann!"_

_Even as she faded, as her heart slowed its dance, she could hear him calling for her. She had lived up to her end of their vow. She had stayed with him till death did them part._

_2._

_When Sadie opened her eyes the dream was still fresh. She rolled over on her side and stared her alarm clock down, hating the cheerful bright numbers that announced her 7:30 wake up call. It was going to be a bad day, she knew that much. First she would have to explain to Hayden about being stood up and then go to work and face Max. He had been right about Marko not being a good guy. No, he was just like Kevin if you really broke the situation apart and studied the pieces. Maybe it was genetic and deep down all men were jerks. Perhaps being born with a penis automatically pre-disposed you to the asshole gene. _

_After finally convincing herself to get up and face the day Sadie found Hayden in the kitchen holding a freshly brewed cup of coffee in one hand, a plate of bacon and eggs in the other. Hayden took one look at her then immediately set the mug and plate on the counter. "Tell me what happened?"_

_Sadie gave a sigh and took up the abandoned cup of coffee. "Nothing happened," she shrugged. "He ditched me at the store and I had to walk home in the rain. When I got here he was waiting on the porch. Said he had something come up and would I give him a second chance."_

_"__So are you going to?" Hayden asked as she poured another cup of coffee._

_"__I thought about it but I don't think so."_

_"__Why not? You were so excited about him."_

_Sadie settled onto the sofa and Hayden followed behind her. "My subconscious decided for me. I had some weird dream about him last night."_

_Hayden smiled. "Bondage and wild sex?"_

_"__Try suicide and blood drinking monsters."_

_"__Yikes," Hayden said with a little laugh. "Well, at least you know you're not a pushover anymore."_

_"__I guess there is a bright side."_

_"__Of course there is. And some other hot motorcycle babe will come along. There's plenty of fish in the sea and yada yada yada." She gave Sadie a pat on the knee then went into the kitchen to clean up the celebratory breakfast that wasn't to be. _

_Sadie nodded. Except she wasn't so sure there would be another guy for her. She'd been burned and had decided that what she really needed was time to heal. The dream, she concluded, was her minds way of telling her that if she didn't slow down and take time for herself she would drown in a sea of mistakes. Or at least that's what she was assuming the dream was trying to tell her. _

_"__Work is gonna suck," Sadie said as she helped Hayden with the dishes. "I really don't want to see that 'I told you so' look on Max's face."_

_"__So, don't tell him what happened. It's none of his business anyway."_

_Sadie handed her a plate to dry. "But he was right."_

_"__So what? I was right about Kevin but you didn't listen to me either."_

_"__Thanks," Sadie mumbled, splashing a bit of sudsy water in Hayden's direction._

_Hayden laughed and then turned to face her. "Look, you gave it a shot and I'm proud of you. Dicks come and dicks go," she said with a smile. "You just have to get back up, dust yourself off, and move forward."_

_Sadie pulled Hayden in for a hug. "Thanks, Hay."_

_"__That's what I'm here for."_

_She spent the rest of the day walking the beach and thinking about Marko. She told herself she just needed a few days to wallow in self pity and then she would be okay. She would bounce back and be the Sadie she was before Marko had walked into the store and charmed her. But it was then she realized that she didn't want to go back to being the sad, heartbroken person she was before Marko had injected some hope into her life. Maybe he had been good for her in that way. Sadie knew what she wanted and she knew that the only way to find it was to take chances. So, maybe Marko hadn't been the one, someone else out there was. _

The forecast for the night was clear so Sadie chose to walk to work rather then drive. Maria was the only one there, scheduled to leave when Max came in at eight. Before Maria could ask how the date went, Sadie held up her hand to stop her. "I don't want to talk about it," was all she said. Maria gave her a soft nod then offered to watch the registers while Sadie did inventory in the back. It was a sweet gesture and Sadie appreciated it. This way she wouldn't have to face any customers and put on a happy face when she was still feeling like shit. She could bury herself beneath boxes of video tapes and be invisible. Day one of Operation Get Over Biker Boy was in full effect.

She had just started on her fourth box of tapes when she heard the door to the store room open. She looked back over her shoulder and saw Max standing there with a soft smile. "How are you doing back here, Peanut?"

"Okay, I guess." She dug into the box and held up the video tape. "Max, why do you keep ordering these cooking shows? No one ever buys them."

He laughed. "Well, my sign does say I have the best collection of video tapes in Santa Carla."

She tossed the tape aside. "You're the boss."

"There's someone here for you."

Sadie looked up a little surprised then realized it was probably Hayden coming to make sure she hadn't hung herself with video tape. "Tell her I'll be home after close."

"It's not Hayden," Max said, and held the door open a little wider so she could see Marko standing next to the counter leafing through a magazine.

Sadie bit hard into her lip. She hadn't expected to see him again and seeing him now was throwing her off balance. Finally she turned back to the boxes and said, "Tell him to go. I don't want to see him."

"Sadie," Max cleared his throat. "I think you should come out here and tell him that yourself."

Sadie looked up at him with surprise. "Max…please."

He sighed and shook his head. "You have to do this for yourself, Peanut. You'll thank me one day."

Sadie dropped her clip board on the floor and got up with a huff. "Yeah, sure," she mumbled. When she reached the door Max placed a hand on her shoulder, his way of reassuring her he wasn't doing it to hurt her. Sadie was pretty sure he was doing it to teach her a lesson.

"I'll be in my office if you need me."

The store was empty except for Marko. Monday nights were always the slowest day of the week. He lifted his eyes from the magazine and smiled as she approached, but she didn't return it.

"What?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"I can see you're still pissed," he said.

Sadie opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by a sudden sneeze. She glared up at him and said, "I have a cold. Thanks to my little jaunt through the rain."

Marko took a step toward her and looked at her with those droopy eyes that had first drawn her to him. He looked so innocent, even with the earring and the wild jacket. She could still feel that pull for him. "Can you please just let me try and explain?" Sadie gave a curt nod and lifted her brow. He inched a little closer to her. "I was late, and I'm sorry. By the time I got here you were gone and I didn't know what to do but go wait for you at your house. I over slept and I should have just been honest with you about that."

"That's it?"

"I could make up a better excuse, but I won't."

Sadie looked in the direction of Max's office. His door was open and she could see him sitting at his desk reading the paper, his eyes watching them over the top of the page.

"What do you want, Marko?"

"I want you to give me a second chance."

"And I want to," she said. His face broke apart with a smile and he reached for her. She held up her hand and took a step away from him. "But I can't."

He furrowed his brows and shook his head with confusion. He hadn't realized that she would stick to her guns and not take him on for another round. Marko had been so sure that she would crumble under him that he hadn't even prepared a good speech. The whole honesty shit was supposed to be enough.

"I don't understand why you're so pissed about this. It was an honest mistake, Sadie. Jesus, you act like I was fucking someone else or just had something better to do."

"Who you fuck is no business of mine," she said, sensing his cool composure faltering. It had been this way with Kevin too. Anytime he didn't get his way he immediately turned into the world's biggest asshole.

"I didn't mean it like that." He put his fingers to his temples, breathed deeply, and then let the full weight of his gaze land on her. He tried to get into her head, to penetrate all those wispy layers of memory and thought. _One more chance, Sadie. Just one more._

"Look, it's not even because you were late," she said, his push still completely absent in her mind. "I'm not ready. I have to have time for me. And I like you, Marko, I really do. But I'm just not in a good place right now."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not asking you to marry me, Sadie. I'm asking you to go on a date."

"Fair enough. But my answer is still no."

He could feel the anger boiling and knew that if he didn't reign it in he would shift right here right now. Max's eyes were boring in on him and he felt like he was being strangled. "Fine," he said, hands in the air as he backed up towards the door. "I'll leave, but I'll be back."

"What?"

He smiled softly and gave her a wink. "I'm not giving up on you, Miss Sadie. Not by a long shot."

3.

Marko rode his bike down to the beach where David and the others were waiting for him. The clouds were thickening and for a moment he watched the last of the moonlight being extinguished in the sky. He approached the other three with a pronounced frown, a silent way of letting them know he didn't get what he was after.

Paul chuckled and sucked hard on the joint he was smoking. "Somebody looks unhappy," he said, handing the joint to Dwayne.

David had his back to the others, his icy blue gaze set on the sea. He didn't turn around to face Marko, but spoke to him in that calm and collected way that often drove Marko crazy. "So, I take it things didn't go well."

Marko gritted his teeth. "No, they didn't. I told you she wasn't going to give me another shot." He narrowed his eyes and turned to Paul. "This is your fault you little shit! If you hadn't needed help dumping that fat guy you killed I wouldn't have been late to the damn video store."

Paul's mouth fell open and he turned to David for help, but David was still staring out at the ocean and the building waves. "Fuck you, Marko," said Paul.

"Boys, boys," David chuckled. "Play nice for Daddy."

Dwayne, always the quiet one, stepped forward. "You're going about this the wrong way," he said to Marko.

"Oh yeah, Casanova? Enlighten me."

"You need to go through her friend. Girls and their best friends are unbreakable. If you get the friend on your side, she'll convince Sadie to give you another go."

Now David turned around with a smirk. "That's a good idea."

Marko furrowed his brows. "How? You don't think Sadie told her that I stood her up. I'm sure Sadie played the whole 'he made me walk home in the rain' record until it was broken. No way is she going to help me out."

David placed his hand on Marko's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "All she needs is a little push in the right direction. Just because we can't play inside Sadie's head doesn't mean everyone else is off limits." He threw his arm around Marko and led him towards their bikes. "I think I know just what we need to get you back in Miss Sadie's good graces."

Sadie was worn out by the time she got home. Hayden was still at her waitress job, which meant Sadie could be alone to mourn the loss of a relationship she didn't even have. She took a beer out of the fridge and escaped to her bedroom where Shadow was sleeping curled up on the end of her bed.

"Boys suck," she said to the dog before flopping down on the bed. "Especially cute boys," she added with a sigh.

She was asleep before the cap to the beer was ever off, and when she woke up the next morning the bottle was still in her hand. The sound of loud music coming from the living room signaled Hayden was up, and as usual didn't really mind if her morning rituals woke Sadie up too. She moved down the hallway with a yawn but was surprised into awareness when she saw Hayden standing on a footstool hanging crate paper from the ceiling fan.

"Hey!" Hayden smiled. "You're up." She hopped down off the stool and grabbed a note pad off the coffee table. "I've been trying to remember all night if you're a vodka girl or tequila."

"What are you doing?"

Hayden smiled. "We're having a belated birthday party for you!"

Sadie's eyes grew wide as she shook her head back and forth. "No, no we're not. My birthday was two months ago."

"Hence, why I used such a big word like 'belated'."

Sadie followed Hayden into the kitchen where red plastic cups had been stacked along side paper plates with the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY printed on them in bright bold letters. "Hayden, I really don't want a party. Belated or otherwise."

"Sadie, if anybody in the world ever needed a party, its you." She gave her a wink and headed back into the living room with Sadie on her heels. "We live in the perfect party house," she continued. "And I for one would really like to break this place in." She reached into one of the plastic bags on the sofa and tossed Sadie a package of balloons. "Could you blow these up please?"

"Hayden," Sadie said, trying to keep her voice calm. "I appreciate this, I really do, but I just don't think I'm up for a party."

Hayden sighed and reached out for Sadie's hand and urged her to sit down on the sofa. "Honey, I know this has been a rough last few months. I really do. But you have got to start living a little."

"A party isn't going to make things magically perfect again," Sadie insisted.

"When has anything ever been perfect?" Hayden laughed. "Face it girl, you need to let loose. And tonight we're celebrating your birthday and getting shit faced in the process." She reached for the forgotten notepad and pointed the tip of the pen at Sadie. "Which leads me back to the question of vodka or tequila."

Sadie looked down at the balloons in her hand. Maybe Hayden was right. Maybe she did need to just let loose and be free for once, instead of living in the stuffy confined space of formality her life had become. "Vodka," she said, and then looked up at Hayden with a smile. "And tequila."

Hayden squealed and tossed the notepad over her shoulder so she could pull Sadie into a hug. "You don't have to worry about anything. I've got it all under control."

"I have to work tonight," Sadie reminded.

Hayden shook her head. "Nope, I already took care of that. Max is closing the store early so he can come."

"You invited Max?"

"Well yeah," Hayden chuckled. "I had to improvise on the guest list a little."

Sadie tore open the package of balloons and started separating them by color. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we don't know that many people. And a party with just you, me, Maria and Max seemed more like a punishment then a party." She laughed and handed Sadie a piece of red paper. "So, I took the initiative and decided tonight we would make new friends."

Sadie looked the paper over. It was a flyer announcing a birthday bash that all of Santa Carla was invited to. Sadie lifted her eyes to Hayden and shook her head. "You didn't post these around did you?"

"Yes I did. So it's too late to back out now."

Sadie looked around their small living room. "Where the hell are we supposed to fit everybody?"

"Sadie, we live on the beach. We'll just have the party out there." She got up from the sofa and grabbed her car keys off the coffee table. "I'm going to pick up the liquor. You work on those balloons."

Sadie sat back into the sofa with defeat. Part of her was excited, the other part was wondering if they would be evicted after their tiny beach house became party central. Hayden called to her from the door.

"Happy Birthday, Sadie." With one last wink she was gone and Sadie was left to blow up the balloons for a party she wasn't even sure she wanted.


	7. Chapter 7

1.

The beach was lined with cars as far as Sadie could see, which admittedly wasn't all that far since her vision had gone a little blurry from three tequila shots. Most of the people respected the DO NOT ENTER EXCEPT TO PEE sign on the front door, but Sadie had already had to throw a couple out of her bedroom. She recognized faces from the store, customers mostly, and other faces she had seen among the many on the boardwalk. But other then Hayden she knew no one.

A pile of wrapped and unwrapped gifts sat atop a table on the porch. When Sadie had glanced through them she was surprised to find some really nice gifts. Someone had brought _The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe_ and another had left discount passes to the amusement park. Of course, there was also the bag of weed and what looked like a well watched porn tape. At least they hadn't shown up empty handed.

Hayden had bought her a new outfit for the occasion, and despite it being things she would never wear, Sadie felt obligated to don the low cut halter with the jean jacket and matching denim skirt. The party was raging, everyone drinking, a live band set up next to the house and still Sadie felt alone.

"Having fun?" Hayden asked as she stumbled up the porch steps and threw her arm around Sadie. The smell of alcohol on her breath was overwhelming.

Sadie gave her a soft smile and took the drink out of Hayden's hand. "Maybe you should slow down."

"Why? I'm not driving anywhere." She snatched the cup back and downed the remaining contents. When it was empty she tossed it to the sand and laid her head on Sadie's shoulder. "Are you having any fun at all?"

"Yes," Sadie lied. "This is really fun." She looked out over the sea of bodies in front of her house. "Have you seen Max?"

Hayden hiccupped then shook her head. "Nope. But I'm sure he'll be here."

Suddenly the unmistakable sound of motorcycle engines humming tore through the guitars and heavy drums of the band. Sadie stood straight and looked off down the beach as four single headlights came closer. "You invited them?" she asked, turning to Hayden with hurt eyes. "Why?"

The boys parked their bikes next to the house and started making their way through the crowd as people cheered their arrival. "Popular boys," Hayden laughed. "I told you they were famous."

Sadie turned to her with confused eyes. "And I told you that Marko ditched me the other night. What the hell, Hayden?"

Hayden shook her head, trying to find the right words when her name was called from the crowd. Both girls turned to see David making his way to the porch with his three shadows behind him. "There you are," David smiled, reaching a gloved hand toward Hayden. "Sorry we're late, sugar."

Hayden looked back at Sadie then took David's hand and let him sweep her up in his arms. He nibbled playfully at her neck then let his gaze fall on Sadie. "I don't think we've ever met," he said, setting Hayden aside and walking up the porch steps. "I'm David."

Sadie shook his hand out of politeness but said nothing. She was trying to figure out how to escape back into the sanctum of her bedroom and away from Marko's eyes which were looking up at her with hopeful longing. Hayden cleared her throat and gave Sadie a pleading stare. Obviously Hayden liked David, and Sadie felt obligated not to screw it up for her. "Nice to meet you," she mumbled.

"Happy Birthday," he said, reaching behind him for the bottle of whiskey Paul had brought with them. He handed it to Sadie who was thankful for the excuse to get away.

"I'll take this inside," she said, turning into the house as quickly as she could. Once inside she had to fight back the tears. She didn't want to be angry with Hayden but the fury was almost overwhelming. Without thinking, Sadie opened the bottle of whiskey in her hands and began chugging it back. She fought the urge to spit it out and forced herself to swallow until finally she could take no more. The room was spinning and her attempt to put the bottle on the counter failed as it toppled to the floor with a crash. She thought about cleaning it up, but the sudden shift in her equilibrium wouldn't allow it.

"Sadie, are you okay?"

She lifted her eyes and saw Marko standing in front of her, his face hidden in the shadows. She hadn't even heard him come in. "Am I okay?" she asked, giggling without meaning to. "My best friend threw me over for your bleach blonde crony. No, Marko, I am not okay."

"Don't be mad at her," he said softly, taking a step forward into the filtered moonlight. "David can be pretty charming."

"Like you?" she raised her brow.

"I'm sorry, Sadie. I really am."

Sadie shrugged and took a step forward, seemingly forgetting there was a step that went into the living room. She careened forward, and like so many times before, Marko caught her. "Shit, girl," he said with a laugh. "How much have you had to drink?"

"A lot," she conceded, letting him lead her to the sofa and sitting down beside her. She dropped her head back and took in two long breaths, waiting for the room to quit spinning. Finally she felt herself evening out. She turned her eyes to Marko and said, "Why are you here?"

He reached into his jacket pocket and then held his closed fist toward her. "Dwayne said I should get you flowers. But I thought this was more suited for you."

She stared at his hand but didn't make a move toward it. "What is it?"

Marko smiled. "Open your hand and find out."

Sadie offered her flat palm and Marko dropped a silver chain and pendant into her hand. She stared at the necklace, then slowly lifted it up for examination. The pendant was oval shaped, engraved on one side was the symbol of a cross with a large circle making up the top. A red stone had been placed in the center, glittering and beautiful. She stared at the cross with sparkling eyes. "I can't take this," she said, finally looking back at him. "It's too much."

Marko met her gaze. "You have to take it," he said sweetly. "It's got your initials on it."

Sadie turned the pendant over and sure enough, her initials had been engraved into the silver with big loopy letters. S.D. No one had ever done anything like this for her before, not even Kevin who had more money then Marko for sure. "You didn't have to do this," she said, her voice not much more than a whisper. "It's not even my real birthday."

"Doesn't matter," Marko smiled, and slowly reached his hand toward her face. When she didn't pull away he let his hand caress her cheek. "Give me another chance," he pleaded. "Just one more shot."

She was still looking down at the pendant but slowly lifted her eyes to his face. The room was dark, but the moonlight and all the lights from the beach gave her plenty of illumination to see the sincerity in his eyes. She would be giving Marko exactly what he wanted. It wasn't because he had given her such a thoughtful gift, or because his touch was so soft against her skin. It was because she believed everything he had just said to her, and she wanted a second chance as much as he did.

She didn't know what to say so she just smiled softly and gave him a nod of her head.

"Yeah?" He smiled wide, a sign of relief.

"Yeah."

"Can I put it on you?" Sadie handed him the necklace and leaned into him, pulling her long brown hair to the side and away from her neck. She could feel Marko's breath on her skin as he reached around her to do the clasp. His cheek brushed hers and her heart started racing. When he pulled back she looked back at him with a smile. "It looks great," he said. "Do you like it?"

She touched the pendant with her finger, tracing the grooves of the cross. "I love it. What does it mean?"

"It's an ankh. It means eternal life." He leaned in as she continued to eye the pendant, the red stone reflecting light in her eyes. When she lifted her gaze he was so close she could feel his breath on her lips.

"So, is this what you wanted?" she asked. She had a hard time saying anything. Being so close to him, remembering the kiss they had shared that night Kevin showed up on the boardwalk, combined with the alcohol was making her spin again.

He ran his hands gently through her hair. "You wanted it too," he smirked. "Didn't you?" His voice was soft, gentle. It made goose bumps erupt all over her arms. He licked his lips and with his eyes still latched to hers, leaned forward until their lips brushed. "Didn't you?" he asked again, his voice a whisper.

"Yes," she managed.

He smiled softly and before Sadie could register what was happening, she felt his lips press against hers. Like before, the kiss started off as nothing more then pressure. Soon though, she was opening her mouth, inviting him to take the kiss further. His tongue slipped into the warm cavern of her mouth, tangling with her own. He tasted like a dream, like the ocean and the fine mist of early morning, and it lit her entire body on fire. His hand went to the back of her neck, holding her to him, as though afraid she would end the kiss before he was ready. No chance of that. She turned her body so that she could straddle him, her hands clutching the side of his face and drinking every moment of the kiss.

"We should...we should slow down," he said, feeling his body responding in a way that was more than just sexual. Her arousal was pumping the blood through her body with a pulsing beat that rang heavy in his ears.

She giggled against his lips. "Isn't that my line?" she pressed her lips to his once more and ground her body into his. She felt the hard line of his erection and moaned into his mouth. Marko's hands gripped her hips, moving her back and forth, knowing they should stop but wanting nothing to come between them.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and moved her away so that she fell back into the sofa and he could be the one on top, the one controlling what happened next. His lips parted into a smirk as he stared down at her and took off his jacket. She was breathing hard, her hands moving on their own toward the button of his jeans.

"Wait," he said with a laugh and looked behind him at the front door. "What if someone walks in?"

Sadie's whole body was on fire. She hadn't been with anyone since Kevin and she was ashamed to admit how much her body wanted this, how much _she_ needed it. "Let's go to my room," she smiled. She started to sit up but Marko put his hand on her chest to hold her back. Her heart was pounding against his palm and part of him knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself if the hunger took over.

"You're drunk, Sadie," he said softly, leaning down to nip gently at her lips. "I don't want you to do something you might regret."

She furrowed her brows and shook her head. "Quit being such a fucking choir boy, Marko." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her kiss. "I want this," she breathed against his lips. "I want _you_."

"You can't take it back," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her eyes. "Things will change." And he meant it. Sex for humans, especially for human girls, was not the same as it was for him. He remembered what it had been like when he was with Mary Ann, how sex had brought them together in ways nothing else had. But that was when he was a human, when his heart beat in time with hers. Now, sex was just a prelude to the feed. Both gave you a euphoric rush, and both felt like you were taking a part of the other person into you forever. If he couldn't have her blood, then he could have her body.

He kissed her again, sliding his body between her spread legs, and let his hand wonder up her bare thigh, beneath the short denim skirt she almost hadn't worn. Marko licked at her neck, loving the salty taste of her skin, and it was his turn to moan when he pressed his hips into hers and felt her heat. He gripped the edge of her panties and smiled down on her. "Are you sure?"

Her heart was pounding with uncertainty and fear, but the alcohol had allowed that to be overshadowed by sensation and pure want. She nodded her head and just as he was about to rid them of the last barrier in their way they heard the front door open.

"Sadie? Peanut, are you okay in here?"

Sadie's eyes went wide and Marko bit his lip with frustrated anger. She held her finger to her lips, pleading with her eyes for him to be as quiet as he could. _Please don't turn on the lights. _As if he had heard the words out loud Max flipped the switch and took another step into the house letting out a shocked gasp when he saw Marko and Sadie trying to disentangle themselves off the sofa.

"Oh…" Max stuttered, clearly as embarrassed as the both of them. "I… I'll just…" His eyes landed on Marko who was trying to put his jacket back on and button his jeans at the same time. Sadie was pushing her skirt back down her hips and hoping her face wasn't as red as she imagined. "I'll wait outside," Max finally said, his voice a mix of anger and disappointment. He walked outside and shut the door behind him.

"Oh my god," Sadie said, leaning against the sofa. "This is so embarrassing."

"Who cares about him?" Marko said, reaching down to take her hand and help her to her feet. His lips parted into a sly smirk as he wrapped his arms around her waist and started walking her backwards toward the hallway. "Which room is yours?"

"I care," she said, trying to undo his grasp on her. "He's been good to me."

Marko let her go and leaned back into the wall. He crossed his arms over his chest and the two of them just stared at the other. "Go," he finally said with a nod towards the door. "I'll wait here."

"I'm sorry…"

Marko stepped forward and put his finger to her lips. "Don't apologize. Just go on. I'm not leaving."

Sadie gave him a quick kiss then hurried out the front door. Marko inhaled sharply and turned to the wall so he could give it a quick punch with his fist. "Fucking, Max," he mumbled as he walked toward the room he already knew was hers. "Stupid, fucking, Max."

2.

Sadie hurried out the front door, fighting her way through the crowd looking for Max. She heard Hayden call her name and turned back in time to see her very drunk best friend being carried into the house by David. "Shit," she said out loud. She knew she needed to go check on Hayden, make sure David kept it in his pants, and then get back to Marko. But she needed to find Max too. Her eyes scanned her surroundings and finally landed on Max climbing into his sports car. She pushed past a rowdy group of surfers and ran towards the car.

"Max! Wait!"

Max turned to her and adjusted his glasses. Both their faces were pink and flushed as Sadie leaned against his car trying to catch her breath. "Peanut, you should get back to your party."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It's not even my birthday!" Her voice rose in pitch as the absurdity of the party really began to sink in. "Max, I…"

"Peanut, I'm not your father. You don't have to explain anything to me. I should have knocked."

Sadie leaned forward with her hands on her knees, still trying to catch her breath and clear her mind of the fuzziness the alcohol had created. "I don't even know what the hell I'm doing," she said, looking up at him.

"You're living," Max smiled. "You're a young woman and you've spent the last six months hanging out with an old man in a video store. All you're doing now is making up for that."

"I don't know," she sighed. "Is that what I'm doing?"

"I think so." He put his arm around her and gave her a parental squeeze. "If my opinion still means anything to you, which I hope it does, I think you should give this boy a chance. It's obvious he likes you." He touched the pendant around her neck. "I think you were right, Sadie. My problem was with his clothes, not the person wearing them."

She looked at him with both surprise and confusion. "Are you just saying this so I won't feel like a complete idiot?"

Max chuckled. "Not at all. Now go on back to your party." He reached into the car and pulled out a small box wrapped in shiny paper. "I know it's not your birthday, so just consider this a thank you for all the hard work you've done."

She smiled. "Thanks, Max."

"You're welcome, Peanut."

Sadie looked out over the sea of people peppering the beach in front of her house. "How do I get them to get out of here?"

Max suddenly stepped forward and cupped his hands around his mouth then yelled, "Cops! Cops!"

Sadie watched with amusement as the crowd scattered. Cars fled, leaving waves of sand in their wake while others ran full speed toward the boardwalk in the distance. After several minutes the only thing left of all the partygoers was the mess they had made. She laughed and turned to Max with a smile. "Thanks for that."

"It was my pleasure." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Goodnight, Peanut."

"Goodnight, Max." She watched him go then headed back to the house. When she stepped inside Paul, David and Dwayne were sitting on her sofa watching MTV.

"Where's Hayden?" she asked, eyeing David.

"Asleep," he said, nudging Paul and Dwayne before he stood up. He rounded the sofa and stopped in front of Sadie. "All tucked in tight. She's going to have a hell of a hangover in the morning."

"It wouldn't be the first," she sighed. "Look, thank you for taking care of her."

David grinned and gave a nod of his head. "Happy Birthday again, Sadie." He stepped past her while Paul and Dwayne followed. It took her only a second to realize that Marko had not been with them. After a quick check in on Hayden, Sadie walked to her bedroom. It was dark with the curtains drawn and the only light coming from the glow of her alarm clock. She looked around the room but saw no sign of Marko.

"Marko?" He didn't answer and for a moment Sadie was sure he had left her again. She hurried to the window and pulled back the curtains, sighing with relief at the motorcycle still parked outside. She heard a noise behind her that made her body stiffen. Sadie wanted to turn around and face him, but something wouldn't let her. She was breathing hard, inhaling harsh breaths as she listened to his footsteps coming closer. He stopped behind her, his body brushing hers. Sadie closed her eyes as his hands slid up her arms and smoothed over her hair.

"You still want me?" he whispered.

The sound of his voice sent shivers up Sadie's spine. It sounded raw and sensual, so different from the way he had talked to her before. She let out a breath. "I want you," she said, then bit her lip before she could let the rest of her thoughts get away from her. How did she tell him that her body was begging for him, while her brain was pleading that she slow down? She did not want to get hurt again, especially by him.

He turned her around to face him and cupped her face gently in his hands. "You can trust me."

She let her eyes dance across his face. "Can I?"

He held her gaze and for a moment he wanted to bolt. This wasn't ever going to be love, not like Sadie wanted or needed. She would see through him and after she drank from the bottle she would know the monster he really was. Marko did not want to love this girl; he wanted to feed from her, to know her in a way even sex couldn't provide him. But there was an order on him, and Sadie was a prize Max wasn't going to lose.

"You can trust me," he said.

He let his hands fall on her hips so he could pull her body into his. She could feel every tight muscle of his chest pressed against her. "I do," she breathed. "I trust you."

He had to stop her talking. If she kept talking about trusting him with that doe eyed innocence of hers he would never be able to stop himself from tasting the blood he could hear pumping in her veins. Marko used the grip on her hips to guide her closer, even closer then before. In the shadows you couldn't have found the lines that separated them into two separate beings. He leaned into her, then bypassed her lips so that he could kiss the sensitive spot just below her ear. The softness of the touch made Sadie's eyes close and her mind retreat from the question dance she had been performing.

His hands moved up under her shirt and began tracing circles across her belly with his fingertips. Sadie clutched his jacket tight in her hands. This was her moment, her time to really live and not let the mountain of what ifs keep her from the experience. She let her head fall back as his mouth explored more of her, dipping down to her collar bone and letting his tongue swipe delicately along her skin. Marko felt a tremor move through her body, the anxiety she was feeling had her pulse racing, but the way she gripped him let him know she wouldn't stop his next move.

Marko moved the kiss back to her lips. The once soft kisses had turned to hungry desire. He pushed her into the wall, holding her there with his body while he removed his jacket. Sadie's eyes stayed on his face while he pulled the white shirt he wore up over his head. With an agonizing slowness she reached her fingertips toward his chest. He bit his lip, trying like hell to hold back both the hunger for her blood and the desire for her body. These moments of passion usually ended in death. It was just the nature of who he was. He would provide pleasure in exchange for the life he took, but with Sadie it wasn't an option. She traced her fingers around the muscles of his abdomen, seemingly mesmerized by the way they contracted beneath her touch. When she lifted her eyes to his face Marko knew he had her. All of her.

Sadie smiled softly at him then wound her arms around his neck, soft fingers tangling in his curly hair. She kissed him with a tenderness that slowly turned more and more demanding. He leaned into her, bracing his hands on the wall, rolling his hips against her, suddenly blinded by the desire to have her. To own her in some way, in a way David and the others never would.

She stepped away from him, inhaled a breath for courage, and then tugged the halter top over her head. She was thankful for the darkness and the shadows that could hide all her imperfections from his eyes. Sadie sat down on the edge of the bed and stared up at him, keeping her eyes on his face while he undid the button on his jeans. When they were both free of their burdens he knelt down in front of her and let his finger trace a line down the front of her chest and through the valley between her breasts.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

"No," she answered without waver.

He grinned at her. She was scared and he knew it. He could feel it in the magnified beat of her heart. Marko leaned forward and Sadie went back onto the bed, welcoming him into her arms. They kissed while Marko's hands buried themselves in the soft waves of her hair. The feel of her warm skin against his cold flesh made her body arch into him and her head fall back into the pillow. He focused on the vein in her neck, blue and beautiful, stretched against her skin while she reached back to grab the headboard. Marko felt the ache in his gums, his fangs already beginning to descend as his body fought against his nature. Sadie moved beneath him, her legs coming up around his waist, waiting so patiently for that moment when he would be inside her. Her hands moved to his back, nails raking lightly against him, quietly urging him to make the next move.

He slowly pushed his way inside her, gritting his teeth as the warmth of her enveloped him. Sadie let out a sigh and moaned softly. Marko could feel himself shifting, could feel the points of his fangs break through his gums in a pleasant sensation that bordered pain. What would she do if she opened her eyes and saw him this way? It would be over for sure then. He would kill her. Max and David would be left with disappointment again.

He dropped his head into the crook of her neck, holding her closer as his hips jutted back and forth in frenzied need. So close to her skin now and he could smell her blood. More rich and alive then any blood he had ever had before. He wanted to taste her. He_ needed_ to. Sadie tried to move his face to hers, to kiss him, but he started to lick at her neck to distract her. _Blood. Blood. Blood_. The smell of it was in her sweat, in the heated breath that was expelled from her lungs every time he pushed himself further inside her. His mouth opened, his preternatural eyes zeroing in on that beautiful blue beacon of life. _Do it! _His body demanded, the ache so deep now nothing but her blood would satisfy. Marko brought the tips of his fangs in contact with her skin and felt her body stiffen. Just a nick, but enough that he could taste her. The smell hit him full force and he was ready, so very ready to gorge himself on the beautiful human fragility lying underneath him. His tongue began licking at the two pinpricks, drawing forth a few more drops of blood. The grip he held around her body tightened as he prepared to sink his fangs into all that soft flesh.

"Marko." She whispered his name, breathing harder as her orgasm approached. He lifted his body to look at her. He wanted to be looking in those beautiful blue eyes when the life drained from them. But her eyes were closed and her head was tilted back as she moaned his name over and over. Something snapped in him. The control that had been slipping steadily away was reclaimed. His fangs rescinded and his eyes simmered back to the cool blue green he usually wore. Sadie's mouth was open, her lips full and wet from his kisses. He felt her body tighten around him and he kissed her hard as they both found their climax together.

Marko stayed on top of her, listening to the thud of her heartbeat in his ear. He had been so close to taking her and now as she looked up at him with that dreamy gaze, he couldn't deny that he was glad he hadn't. She smiled at him, her cheeks flushed, and then she let out a laugh of exhilaration. "I'm sorry," she said, putting a hand over her mouth to stifle the giggle. She turned her head away from him, embarrassed.

He moved to her side, immediately missing her warmth, then curled into her. "What?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"It's nothing," she said, still trying to hide her face from him.

He took her wrists and pulled them away from her face, then gently turned her face toward him. "Don't do that, Sadie. Tell me."

"It's just, I never…you know."

He lifted his brow. "Never? Not even with other guys?"

She looked at the ceiling, not wanting to look at him with so much truth laid out between them. "There haven't been a lot of other guys," she admitted. "Kevin was the only one."

"And you never…" he searched for the words. "Came with him?"

She rolled over onto her side. "Pretty sad, huh?"

He gave her a little half smile and shook his head. "Not at all. I'm happy it was with me." It was probably the corniest thing he had ever said to a girl, even when he was alive he had never resorted to crap like that. The worst part was, he really meant it. The idea that he was the only person to ever give her that peak of pleasure made him swell with pride and maybe even arrogance. His eyes moved to the clock on her bedside table. It was almost 3 a.m... "Shit," he said. "I had no idea it was so late." He still had to feed before meeting the others at the cave before sunrise. "I better get going." He kissed her again then rolled away from her. He couldn't see the confused and hurt look on her face.

"You can stay," she offered. "Hayden will be sleeping that hangover off until tomorrow afternoon." She pulled the sheets up to her chin as she watched him put his jeans back on.

"Wish I could, but I have to be somewhere early and I still have an errand to run," he said, looking back at her over his shoulder. "Believe me, if I could stay I would." He smiled a smile he knew would convince her of his lies. Marko leaned across the bed and kissed her on the cheek before he moved to her lips. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

"It is tomorrow," she reminded.

"Then will I see you tonight?"

She nodded. "I get off at ten."

He kissed her again. "Then I'll be there at ten. Don't get up," he said as she reached for her robe. "I can show myself out."

"Oh, okay."

Marko opened her door and stopped to look back one last time. She had curled into a ball beneath the sheets hiding her face from him. He knew she was worried about him leaving right after they'd had sex, but there was no time to sweet talk her now when the sun was just around the corner. He wanted to say something to her. A line so convincing it would leave her no room to doubt. Then he could bring her back to the cave and David would give her the wine. It would be over then, and this game he was playing would come to a close. Something burned in the pit of his stomach, something other then hunger. It was guilt and he hated it. He left without saying another word.

Sadie sat up and wrapped the sheet around her. She went to the window and watched as Marko mounted his bike, then sped away into the night. Even after he was gone she continued to stand there, watching the moonlight dance on top of the water. She waited for the regret to hit her, but it never did. This was what she had wanted and more then that, it was what she needed. Her fingers reached up to touch the pendant around her neck and couldn't help but smile. She fell down on the bed and stretched her body across the mattress. She knew she would sleep easy now. Everything was going to be okay.

**_Thanks again to all of you who have taken the time to leave me some feedback. It is so appreciated. And a special thank you to Raindrop for the great advice and insight she left me on the previous chapter. I will definitely put that new knowledge to use in future projects. ~Stormy~_**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Thank you again to everyone for the amazing feedback. If you do read, I would love to hear what you think. ~Stormy~_**

1.

After abandoning his bike by the cave entrance, Marko stepped through the dark opening hoping like hell the rest of the pack where in the back preparing to sleep. There was still an hour till sunrise and he needed the time alone. He had made a mistake and there was no way to change it. Sure, he had accomplished bringing Sadie back to his side, but had risked killing her by allowing them to get that close. Marko jumped off the rock into the main cavern to find the barrels lit and David sitting in his chair. Many times in his immortal life David had been Marko's refuge, but now he was looking for ways to escape these moments alone with him. When the plan was discussed and the reality of what was going to come set in.

Before he had regained his control he'd tasted Sadie's blood, and the need to have all of her almost overwhelmed him. He wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself the next time they were together. He was a killer, and he had never once before needed to cradle that part of himself. Now, he was being used as bait, so that Max and David would finally have the answers they had wanted from that artist so long ago. Everything fell on Marko and the pressure was too much. This wasn't what he wanted from his life now. There weren't supposed to be any rules and regulations, just freedom and excitement.

His human life had come to an end just as the twentieth century was blooming. He'd spent his childhood wishing he was someone else. A rigid upbringing coupled with the stiff and unbending rules of society had nearly driven him over the edge. Mary Ann had been a welcome relief when she stumbled into his life, her father a lawyer, his father a judge. It had only made sense that theirs was a union destined to be. Then David had come along and offered him the chance to have everything he had always wanted. He would never regret meeting David, or becoming a prince of the night. There were moments when his memories would claw at the grave of their remembrance and Mary Ann's face would fill his mind. He had loved her with every fiber a human man could love a woman. There was no room in his now un-beating heart for that kind of love to ever exist again. Marko knew he should never have marked Sadie and chosen her that night they walked into the video store, but once he did, he should have killed her. Now, it was too late.

David took a long drag off his cigarette and gave Marko a knowing smirk. "I take it things went well on your end."

Marko nodded. "I guess you could say that."

"I can smell her on you," David chuckled. He looked down at the glowing ember of his cigarette and then back up at Marko. "Is she still alive?"

"Of course she's still alive," Marko answered with a huff. "I can't kill her, remember."

"Those are the rules. But I still had to ask. I can't think of a single girl who has ever had the pleasure of your company that didn't end up a broken pile of flesh underneath you."

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Marko said, stepping farther into the cave and removing his gloves. He tossed them onto the edge of the fountain then sat down next to them. "I tried to convince her it was a bad idea. But it happened anyway."

David threw his leg up over the arm of the wheelchair and drew in another long drag. "What stopped you?" he asked. "Even miles away I could feel your shift, feel your hunger."

"I don't know," Marko said softly. "I guess I just have better control now."

"Or," David said, pointing his finger at Marko. "You really are hoping to make her your Mary Ann."

"Shut up," Marko hissed. "I didn't kill her because Max would have my head on a fucking plate if I killed his little Peanut."

David laughed. "Why do you try to lie to me? You could have killed Sadie that first night but you didn't. You let her live. Why?" He paused and waited for Marko to answer. When he didn't David continued. "I'll tell you why. Because you've been missing what Mary Ann stole from you when she walked into that lake. You never wanted to enter this life without her and you've been sulking ever since."

"That's bullshit!" Marko said, rising to his feet. "This is getting out of control. Do you ever stop to think what will happen when she finds out what Max has been doing? That he set her up from the word go."

"It won't matter," David said, flicking the finished cigarette into the fountain. "She won't care."

Marko let out a sarcastic laugh. "Won't care? You really don't know shit, David."

"I don't know shit? I've walked this fucking earth for three hundred years you ungrateful little fuck! There isn't an emotion a human being possesses that I haven't studied and devoured. If Mary Ann had loved you Marko, she would have come into my arms like a good girl. And you would still have her now."

Marko let the words wash over him. The accusation that Mary Ann had not loved him enough to be with him forever was unforgivable in his eyes. Because he knew it was the truth. "Fuck you!" Marko yelled and charged toward David with anger like possession. David jumped out of his chair and had Marko by the collar of his jacket and up against the cave wall before Marko had time to blink. He had never once lifted a hand to Marko, never. They were closer then close. They were bonded by blood. Marko was the first vampire David had sired and they were together almost fifty years before Dwayne came along. But the anger Marko was feeling, the memories surfacing under all the years of blood and death, were overtaking him.

"I love you, Marko," David said through gritted teeth. "I thought you had moved past those pesky left over human feelings, but I guess I was wrong. We're vampires, we don't have friends outside our pack and we don't fall in love. We're killers, Marko. That is what we are."

"Then let me kill her," Marko growled. "Stop making me play this game!"

David's face shifted into the softness of before. "This is the game you were made to play. That face is a trap to anyone who trusts it. It was a lie even before I turned you. Do you remember how I found you? Fucking that whore in an alley while Mary Ann was giving birth to your dead baby in the next building. You were never what she thought you were. You were born to be this beautiful monster, Marko. It's all you'll ever be again."

"Don't talk about that," Marko pleaded, his head dropping forward as eighty plus years of death zoomed past him, until he could see himself standing over Mary Ann's bed watching her holding the dead baby boy in her arms. This reaction to his past was a betrayal to who he was now, and the future still ahead of him. If vampires were soulless, heartless creatures, then why did it hurt so much to remember?

David's hand caressed Marko's cheek, letting his childe fall into his arms. "She's dust," David said. "But Sadie is strong, Marko. She hungers for life like you hunger for blood. When she turns she will be an addition to this pack we could only have ever dreamed of. Her power, whatever the fuck it is, could be ours too."

Marko looked up at him with furrowed brows. "What do you mean?"

David laughed. "Max is a fool. He wants a daughter to coddle and protect. I don't want that bitch flying beside us, enjoying this world that is ours alone. No, I want her _power_. I felt it in that artist's blood. There was something there that would have made her a vampire we can never be. Until now. When Sadie turns her blood will ignite and when it does, we will be there to take it."

"We can't kill her once she's turned, David. We don't kill our own, you taught me that."

David sighed and went back to his chair to light another cigarette. "No, we can't kill her. But we can drink from her and leave her here while we go about our lives. We'll never really let her turn, Marko. She'll never taste human blood; she'll just stay here, a source of new power just for us."

"But Max," Marko started, already picturing Sadie lying on one of the filthy sofas, weak from blood loss, but immortal and alone.

"I don't have all the kinks worked out," David said with a wave of his hand. "But Max loves me, I know that much. I was his first, and Sadie, she's just a curiosity. He can drink her too." He got up and walked to Marko with a smile. "It's late. The sun is coming up." He lifted off the ground and flew towards the darkest corners of their home. Marko could only stand there, even as the heat from a rising morning was reaching its fingers in through the cracks. The game had changed in a way he had never imagined.

2.

Sadie opened her eyes and felt the heaviness of the night before lingering. She rolled out of bed and dressed in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. There would be time to shower and make herself feel human again before work, but first, she needed a cup of coffee. As she opened her door Hayden was stumbling out of her room. She looked up at Sadie with a forced smile.

"Do you feel as bad as I do?"

Sadie laughed. "Probably not."

Hayden sighed and with a yawn went into the living room. The picture window was open and outside they could both see the discarded plastic cups and various other party debris lying in the sand. "Well, at least we had a good party."

"It was certainly one to remember," Sadie said. She poured them each a cup of coffee and met Hayden on the sofa. "I didn't realize you knew Marko's friends."

"Oh, yeah," Hayden said looking up at her. "They came into the restaurant the other night. David seems sweet, don't you think?"

Sweet was not a word Sadie would have ever used in describing David. Mysterious, alluring and most certainly dangerous, but sweet? Never. "Sure," she smiled, not wanting to burst Hayden's bubble.

"Are you still mad at me for inviting them?"

"No," Sadie said with a smile. "I'm glad they came."

Hayden's lips parted into a knowing smirk. "Sadie Daniels, did you and Marko make up?" Her eyes fell to Sadie's neck and went wide. "Judging by that I'd say it was more than just making up."

Sadie touched her neck, only then noticing the slight ache that resided there. She got up and hurried over to a mirror that hung by the front door. "Shit," she said, eyeing the purple bruise that was forming. "This is the weirdest hickey I've ever seen." She turned back to Hayden. "It looks like…I don't know, like a bite or something."

Hayden laid back into the sofa, willing away the headache that kept pounding. "So, you discovered with the right guy you like it rough. Good for you!"

Sadie went back to the couch and smacked Hayden playfully on the arm. "It wasn't like that."

Hayden turned serious eyes on her. "What was it like?"

Sadie took a breath and felt the smile threatening to part her lips. "It was amazing, Hay. I like this guy. I really do."

Hayden smiled. "I'm glad, Sadie. You deserve it."

"What about you? Do you really think there's something there between you and David?"

Hayden shrugged. "I don't know. He asked me to meet him tonight. Maybe we can double."

"That would be fun." Really Sadie just wanted to keep an eye on David. She didn't trust him. There was a coldness behind his eyes that dug into her each time she saw him. Hayden was like a sister, and if she was going to get involved with him, Sadie wanted to be there to make sure it turned out okay.

"Well," Hayden said, stretching her arms. "I'll meet you at the video store when you get off." She gave Sadie a pat on her leg then disappeared down the hall.

Sadie grabbed several trash bags from the kitchen and went outside to clean up the mess. It had been a long time since she had taken the time to appreciate where she lived. Even something as mundane as cleaning up empty Solo cups was made better by the sound of the surf and the smell of the boardwalk a few miles away.

It took nearly six trash bags to clean up all the trash, not counting the cups and cigarette butts that had been spread across the beach by the wind. She felt sorry for whoever had to stumble upon her mess. When she went inside to shower and get ready for that evenings shift, she couldn't stop herself from reminiscing about the night before. Under the warm spray of the water she could feel his cool fingers as they caressed her and that delicate roughness of his tongue as it tasted her.

Sadie had always had rules about sex and relationships. She and Kevin had dated for almost three months before she finally slept with him. Giving him her virginity and her dignity in a single moment. It was after they broke up she found out he had been screwing girls left and right all the while telling her that he respected her desire to wait. Just thinking about it made her body heat up with anger all over again.

But it had felt different with Marko, and she couldn't deny there had been a sort of comfortable relief in his arms. She trusted him and she wanted this to work. And didn't he want it too? After all, he had pursued her even after she told him to get lost. What guy would go to that much trouble if he didn't really want the relationship? She set about fixing her make-up, cursing out loud when no matter how much foundation she applied, the purple bruise on her neck wouldn't completely fade away.

"Fuck it," she said, tossing the foundation aside. She unclipped her hair and hoped that would be enough to keep it hidden.

She heard Hayden leave just before sunset. Sadie's shift at the store would be a short one, and that was a good thing too. She already couldn't wait to see Marko again.

3.

Kelly Jenson didn't want to die, but at this point it might be better for her if she did. An hour before, she and her boyfriend Jeffery were making out in the backseat of his car when they heard people laughing out side. At first they thought it was just a bunch of kids messing around, but then the car door went flying off its hinges and in the span of a heartbeat Jeffery was gone. Somehow Kelly had managed to climb out the other side, and without looking back, ran blindly into the woods. They were only about a mile away from the boardwalk. Kelly knew that if she could just make it back there everything would be all right.

After thirty minutes of hard running she slowed to a quick walk. There was a stitch in her side that stung every time she took a breath. She pressed her hand into her stomach hoping to help alleviate some of the pain but knew that there was no time to stop moving. All around her she could hear the leaves rustling with the wind and above her the occasional flapping of what she assumed to be seagulls. Her clothes were torn from the reaching fingers of overhead branches and thorn covered vines. She had slipped and fallen into a creek that ran through the woods. Now she was wet, scared and cold. The woods were so dark that she wasn't even sure she was going in the right direction. She didn't allow herself to think about Jeffery for too long. If her mind started wondering back to that car and the impossible that had occurred there she would tell herself, _Keep walking, Kelly. When you get to the boardwalk you can cry for Jeffery. _

Suddenly she saw the twinkling lights in the distance, winking at her through the branches of trees, and she knew she was close. She nearly cried out with relief and took off running, not caring or even feeling the scratches that were being made along every inch of exposed skin. When she broke through the trees she was standing on the shoulder of White Rock Road. It was a single lane road that led from the rural area of Santa Carla into the more populated parts of town. She looked to her right and then her left, wondering briefly if she should wait for a passing motorist. No, she couldn't wait. Whatever had taken Jeffery might still be looking for her. She had to keep going.

With renewed energy she ran down the road toward the blinking lights in the distance. She had been running for a good five minutes when she heard the flapping again, and another sound underneath it she couldn't quite make out. Kelly stopped running and lifted her eyes to the dark sky. All she saw were the fast moving clouds and patches of dark blue sky. Then she heard the sound again and realized with muted horror that it was someone laughing. The laughing was above her, behind her, all around her and it was coming closer.

She felt like she was going to be sick. Her mind was screaming at her to run but her body seemed rooted to the gravel road. Suddenly she saw a flash of something white zoom past her, the force of it knocking her down to the ground. She pushed herself up to her knees and began whipping her head around in every direction looking for whatever had gone by her. The laughter was coming again and this time she could hear the heavy thud of footsteps walking along the road behind her. She didn't dare turn around, just closed her eyes and tried to gather the courage to get to her feet and run. Ahead of her she could hear more footsteps, could sense someone moving through the darkness. Without another thought she opened her mouth and began to scream. "Help me! Please, someone help me!"

There was a flurry of movement, the strange flapping sound again, and then something collided with her. Her head hit the pavement with a sharp clunk and stars erupted in her field of vision. Something warm was spreading through her hair, and seconds later she smelt the blood. Kelly kept her eyes clenched shut, not wanting to see whatever was climbing on top of her. She felt their rough tongue licking at the blood that had dripped down her cheek, and then she felt the sharp spear of pain tear through her body like a live wire. A cold hand clamped down over her mouth, stifling the scream that was begging to be released. There was always still a chance someone would find her, save her.

She tried to thrash beneath the body pinning her to the hot gravel, but it was too heavy. The laughter never ceased, nor did the sound of wet lips smacking against her bloody skin. Her arms were out at her sides and she felt something wet touch the ring finger on her left had. _My god_, she thought. _They're licking me_. _They're going to_… Before she could finish the words inside her head she heard the crunch of teeth against her bones as something tore the finger right off her hand. Pain gave way to the sweet, deep penetrating darkness that signified the end. Her eyes focused on the road, on the two globes of white light coming toward her. The squeal of tires against the gravel echoed out like glorious music. Kelly felt the weight lifted off her body. Blood was oozing from her in thick red rivers. She was dying. Her savior was too late.

4.

Sadie heard the motorcycles pulling up just as she was closing out her till. She saw David but no Hayden. She hoped he hadn't stood her up. Marko said something to the others then went into the store, smiling at Sadie as he sidled up to the counter.

"Hey, beautiful. You about ready?"

"Three minutes," she said. And although not one for public displays of affection, when he leaned into the counter for a kiss she was more than willing to give it to him. "I'll meet you outside."

He smiled and went back out to his friends. Sadie closed the till and used her key to lock it tight. "Bye, Maria," she called out as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Sadie!' Maria stopped her. When Sadie turned around she was holding the receiver of the phone. "It's for you. Hayden."

"Okay, just a sec." She walked up to the window and tapped on the glass. All the boys turned to look at her. She held up her finger to tell Marko to wait and hurried back to the counter. "Hayden, where are you?"

There was a moment of silence followed by a hard sob. "Sadie, you have to come home. Now!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Please!" she shrieked. "Come home! Come home!"

Sadie glanced behind her to see all four boys looking anxious and maybe bored. "Hayden, calm down. Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't," Hayden whispered. "They might be able to hear me somehow."

"What did you take?" Sadie demanded. Convinced now that Hayden was high on something.

"Get home!" Hayden was slipping into hysterics, screaming things into the phone that made no sense. Suddenly she hung up. Sadie stood there for a moment holding the receiver to her ear until the dial tone was sounding.

She hung up and walked as calmly as she could outside. Marko was off his bike with his arms around her as soon as her feet hit the pavement. "You ready?"

Sadie gave her best apologetic smile. "I can't," she said. In her peripheral vision she could see David sit up straighter.

"Why?" Marko looked confused. "What's going on?"

"Work," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Something has come up and I'm the only one who can fix it. Max won't be in until tomorrow so I have to get it done."

Marko furrowed his brows. "You can't just come in early tomorrow?"

She shook her head and placed her hands on his hips, looking up at him with doe eyes and hoping to hell it worked. "No, it's going to take me forever as it is." She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, smiling against his lips as Paul began to whistle. "Can I make it up to you tomorrow? Maybe take you to lunch?"

Marko looked over his shoulder at David. He didn't say anything or even move, but when Marko looked back at her he said, "Sure thing. We can do that."

"Thanks," she said, kissing him on the cheek before hurrying back toward the store.

"Where's your friend?" David called out. "She didn't meet me like she said she would."

Sadie took a breath and prepared her lie, then turned to him with a frown. "She came down with something. I think she's still hung over."

David's lips formed a half smile. "Well tell her I'll be seeing her soon."

"Yeah, I will." She felt an uneasy shiver slide down her spine. "Bye, Marko. See you tomorrow."

He nodded and hopped back on his bike. He didn't seem necessarily mad but Sadie could tell he was disappointed at the very least. She stepped into the store and that was when it suddenly dawned on her that she hadn't set a time to meet Marko. Nor did she have his number to call him. The realization that she had slept with someone whose house she had never been to, whose phone number she had never dialed and whose last name she didn't even know, hit her like punch in the gut. She turned around to call after him but the boys were already halfway down the boardwalk.

"Hey, Sadie, Hayden is on the phone again and she sounds pretty fucked up," Maria said, leaning over the counter and holding the receiver.

Sadie gave a long sigh. "Tell her I'm on my way."

5.

Sadie pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. She had her hand on the door handle when it suddenly flew open and Hayden was dragging her out of the car and up the steps. She pushed Sadie inside then locked the door, engaging the chain with shaky hands. "Go make sure the bedroom windows are locked," Hayden ordered. "I'll go do the back door."

Sadie took a breath and laid her keys down on the couch. As gently as she could she approached Hayden and held out her hands. "Hay, I want you to come sit down here and tell me what you took."

"What I took?" She shook her head. "I didn't take anything! I saw them, Sadie. I saw them!" Her face was splotchy from all the crying, her lips swollen from where her teeth had been digging into them the entire ride home. She stared at Sadie and breathed out the words. "I saw them. On White Rock Road."

Sadie was so confused. She knew Hayden was having some sort of manic episode, no doubt brought on by LSD or something equally as potent that she had picked up on the boardwalk. Her job now was just to keep Hayden calm and get her through the night. "You saw who, Hay?"

Hayden leaned against the kitchen table for support, then collapsed onto one of the chairs. "The Lost Boys," she finally managed. She looked up into Sadie's confused face, knowing the story she was about to tell her would be too impossible for Sadie to believe. But it was a story she had to know.

It only took Hayden ten minutes to relay everything she saw. When she was finished Sadie was staring at her, her lips pursed into a straight pink line. Hayden was still trembling, her eyes wide, her hands clutched together as she sat at the table trying to wrap her mind around the things she had witnessed. Yes, it seemed impossible, but that didn't change the fact that it had happened. "Say something, Sadie."

Sadie took a deep breath then slowly walked to where the phone was hanging on the wall in the kitchen. She calmly picked up the address book next to it and flipped through the pages.

"Sadie, say something dammit!"

"I'm going to call your aunt," she said. "I'm going to tell her to come over and be with you until you're off whatever it is you're on."

Hayden jumped up from the chair and grabbed the address book out of Sadie's hand. "Why? Jesus, Sadie did you hear anything I just told you? I saw them. I looked right into Marko's eyes. It was him only…it wasn't." She grabbed Sadie hard by the arms and shook her. "He's a vampire, Sadie! They all are! They were killing this girl right in the middle of the road."

Sadie tried to hold Hayden back but she only clung to her tighter, pink nails digging half moons into Sadie's arm. "Stop it," Sadie said, trying to get away without hurting Hayden in the process. "Why are you doing this?"

"I'm trying to warn you! We have to leave. We have to get the fuck out of here tonight."

Sadie finally had no choice but to give Hayden a shove that knocked her back into the chairs. "I'm leaving," Sadie said. "I can't…I can't do this with you right now." Suddenly she was angry and she couldn't control it. Everything was coming together and instead of being with Marko she was watching her best friend ride out a bad trip. "I can't believe you, Hayden. I left Marko at the store so I could come here and for what? So you could do this?" She picked up her keys and gave Hayden a disappointed stare. "David was there. You ditched him so you could get high?"

Hayden's eyes were wide and the tears were building. "You saw them?" she asked, her voice a trembling whisper. "Oh, god. They could be out there right now!" She ran at Sadie and tried to wrestle the keys out of her hands. "He'll kill you!" she shrieked. "Sadie he's going to kill you!"

Sadie turned her body and went for the door. The only person Sadie was afraid of right now was Hayden. She would go back to the boardwalk and stop at the comic book shop she knew Hayden's aunt and uncle owned. She would explain everything, apologize for not being able to handle it herself, and then she would look for Marko.

Hayden crashed into Sadie's back, knocking the wind out of her when Sadie hit the door hard. "I'm not letting you leave this house, Sadie!" Hayden screamed. "You don't have to believe me but it's true."

Sadie was crying now too. She had seen Hayden drunk plenty of times but this…this was something she couldn't handle on her own. Maybe when she found Marko she could convince him and the others to come back with her and help bring Hayden back to some sense of reality. David would probably never want to see Hayden again, but it was all she could think of.

"Get off me!" Sadie screamed and pushed back into Hayden with all her might. She stumbled back into the sofa and Sadie unlatched the door with lightening speed. Hayden was sobbing, screaming over and over that Marko was going to kill Sadie. With shaking hands Sadie turned the keys in the ignition and peeled out of the driveway. Hayden was running at the car, pleading with Sadie to stop. She slammed her foot onto the gas and drove away from the house, barely able to see the road through her tears.

The comic book store was closed, and despite looking everywhere she saw no sign of Marko or the others. She couldn't go home, not with Hayden acting so crazy. There was no telling what she would do and when morning came Sadie would go home and hope they could repair the damage Hayden had caused. In the mean time she had to go somewhere and she didn't want to be alone. There was really only one place for Sadie to go. She exited onto the highway and headed toward Soquel and the home she had left behind.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Thank you again for all the great feedback! It really does help motivate me on to the next chapter. Keep telling me what you think. ~Stormy~_**

1.

As she crossed the city limits into Soquel, the sun was just coming up. She had wondered the boardwalk all night, looking for Marko, worrying about Hayden and trying to understand why she had never bothered to really get to know Marko at all. How was it that she had managed to get close to him and yet never even ask his last name? It was preposterous but she had done it. Maybe she really was a stupid girl who made stupid mistakes and never learned from them.

Her parent's house was on Sully Avenue, a strip of tract homes in varying shades of pastels. Her father repainted the house every few years, and as she pulled up into the empty driveway she was shocked to find the exterior painted a bright robin's egg blue. "Barf," she whispered to herself.

She had arrived at a time when she would be alone in the house. Her parents would both be at work and Sadie was glad for that. She hadn't come there because she needed her parents help or advice. They didn't put up much of a fuss when she left Soquel, and Sadie believed that her leaving might have even been a kind of relief for them. She could remember little from her childhood that involved her father. Back then he had worked nights as a grocery store manager. It wasn't until she left home permanently that he switched to the day shift. When she was a kid her father would sleep all day while she was at school and was heading off to work by the time she got home. In many respects he was a stranger to her. There were times he used to look at her and say, "You're like looking at her ghost," then walk into the kitchen to get a six pack of beer out of the fridge. Sadie would always live in the wake of her sister's shadow, even when Sarah wasn't there to cast it.

She used the key hidden inside a flower pot to gain entrance to the house and as the familiar sights and smells hit her, she was glad she had come. It smelled like chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon candles. The house was immaculate, the carpets so clean you could smell the shampoo still clinging to the fibers. It threw her backward to that time growing up, when she felt like she was the only person living in the house. Her parents worked, bought groceries and did day to day things that everyone else did but they were never truly living. She walked through the family room, trying not to look at Sarah's photo above the mantle.

Sadie went straight for the stairs and took them two at a time until she reached the landing. Her old bedroom was to the right and she knew all of the things she hadn't taken with her to Santa Carla were probably still there. At the end of the hall was her parents bedroom, and then there was Sarah's room. As a little girl, Sadie had spent hours and hours atop Sarah's bed, clutching a pillow to her chest and inhaling the scent Sarah had left behind. It had been years since she had been inside that room. Once she became an adolescent her need to know who Sarah was had turned to anger. Anger that she had left Sadie there to be raised by two zombie parents. Anger that Sarah had never once tried to come back. Slowly she started down the hallway, her hands trembling as she reached the faded yellow door of Sarah's bedroom. It wasn't locked.

Sadie pushed open the door with her palm and reached inside to flip on the light. Everything was just as it had been the day Sarah left. An old flannel robe still hung on a hook next to the closet door. Sarah's artwork and supplies littered the surface of a white desk in the corner. It felt like walking into a dream, the thin sheet of dust that covered everything in the room glittered against the light.

Sadie closed the door behind her and walked directly to the bed, then knelt down next to it. She reached into the dark abyss beneath the mattress and felt around until her fingers brushed the hard edges of a photo album. When she brought it out of its tomb it was covered in thick dust and tiny dead bugs. She used the edge of the blanket to wipe away the debris of so many years in hiding and slowly opened it up. The very first picture was of Sarah holding a newborn Sadie. She smiled into the camera and underneath the photo Sarah had written Proud Big Sis. Sadie could see the similarity between them and it made her stomach hurt. There was a sharp stab of sadness as the reminder of what she was missing hit home. And then the tears were falling. It never made sense to Sadie that she could feel so strongly for someone she couldn't remember, and yet, staring down at her sister's face behind the sheer plastic cover was one of the hardest things she had ever done. The last time she had looked at the photo album was right before she moved to Santa Carla, and it had been just a quick flipping of pages, not allowing any one photograph to stick in her memory to long.

Sadie turned the page. It was Sarah's graduation photo. She wiped at her eyes and sniffed back the next wave of tears, her fingers smearing the fallen liquid across the protective sleeve. Sadie's eyes focused on the necklace hanging around Sarah's neck. It dipped low, the edge of the photo nearly cutting off the silver pendant that hung from the chain. Sadie lifted the clear plastic and plucked the photo from a sticky backing. She squinted, trying to make out the detail.

Finally, she left Sarah's bedroom and went into her old room. She opened dresser drawers, recklessly tossing items of clothing to the carpet until she found the antique magnifying glass her grandmother had given her. She laid Sarah's photo down on the dresser top and took a breath. Then she scrutinized the photo behind a magnified eye. Her heart was beating faster as she examined the pendant hanging around Sarah's neck. It was an ankh, with a red stone in the center. Sadie stepped back with her hand covering her mouth to try and hold in the gasping breaths that were escaping her. She touched the necklace hanging around her own neck. It wasn't possible, not at all. Without thinking she snatched Sarah's picture into her hands and began to tear at it until it was just pieces fluttering to her feet. She had no idea how long she stood there staring down at the shredded remains of Sarah's photo, when the sound of the front door slamming broke her from her daze.

"Sadie?" her mother called from the bottom of the stairs. "You up there?"

Sadie wiped at her eyes and tucked the pendant back into her shirt. "Yeah, Mamma. I'll be right down." She fell to her knees and began scooping up the tattered picture into her hands before dumping them in one of the dresser drawers. It took her several seconds of deep breaths and mental preparation before she felt steady enough to head downstairs. She found her mother in the kitchen, sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee and reading the paper.

"You could have called," her mother said without looking up from the page. "I would have put some hamburger meat out or something."

"I can't stay," said Sadie. "I have work."

Her mother finally looked at her. "So things are going okay for you then?"

"Yeah. Really good."

"I read about that Kevin and his sister. Were you two still dating?"

Sadie furrowed her brows. "What did you read about Kevin and Keri?"

"They don't have newspapers on the beach?" her mother asked. "Do you and your housemate ever watch anything other then that MTV?"

"I don't watch TV at all, Mamma. When I'm not working I'm at home sleeping."

"Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you," her mother said, though her tone didn't reflect the sentiment. She folded the paper in half then set it on the table with the front page facing up. Sadie picked it up and began to read.

**SIBLINGS STILL MISSING AFTER HOME INVASION**

Janice Moffitt, 46 of Santa Carla, is refusing to believe that her children, 23 year old Kevin Moffitt and his sister, 16 year old Keri Moffitt, are dead. The two were reported missing by their parents, who found their home ransacked and their children missing after they returned from a vacation in northern California. Moffitt and her husband Larry, 55, say that their children never would have left the home voluntarily.

"Kevin was still living with us because he planned on going back to college. There is no way he would have just taken off. He loved his little sister and I know that he did everything he could to protect her."

Police say that some valuables had been taken and that the house was in disarray. Blood evidence found at the scene strongly indicates that a violent struggle took place. The Moffitt's say that their son and daughter had no enemies and were well liked by the community.

They are not the first missing persons from Santa Carla, but are in fact, part of a disturbing trend of people disappearing and never being seen again. While police will not say that a serial killer might be prowling the city streets, residents of this beach side community believe that someone is killing off citizens one by one.

"Until we have a body, we must work this as a missing persons case until enough time has passed to reasonably assume the individuals are deceased," states Police Chief Carl Shaw. "We are a community that hosts many tourists; there is no way to say whether these disappearances are the work of a local citizen or a passer by."

The Moffitt family is offering a 25,000 dollar reward for any information leading to the whereabouts of Kevin and Keri Moffitt. If you have any information you may contact the Santa Carla Police Department, or the FBI.

Sadie set the paper down and then slowly took a seat in one of the dining room chairs. How had she not known this? It hit her then that she had been so wrapped up in Marko and new beginnings that she had shut out the rest of the world.

"Sadie?"

She looked up in a daze. "What?"

"Were you still dating?"

"No." Sadie said, trying to find her voice. "We broke up a while ago."

"Well how was I supposed to know," her mother huffed. "You don't even call anymore."

Sadie kept staring at the photos of Kevin and Keri on the front page of the paper. Her heart hurt. Sure, Kevin had been a colossal prick the last time she saw him, but that didn't mean she had wanted something bad to happen to him. She heaved a sigh and then remembered what she had found upstairs. "Mamma?"

"What?"

"That necklace Sarah is wearing in her graduation picture. Where did she get it?"

Her mother's brows furrowed as if trying to place the object Sadie was describing. Finally she gave a little laugh and said, "You mean that crazy cross? She had that made at the boardwalk. She tried to tell me it meant eternal life or some such nonsense. She loved that silly thing."

Sadie's heart was beating hard and fast. If it had been made on the boardwalk, then surely it could have been one of hundreds sold at the little vendor stands. "Did it have anything else on it? Like, I don't know, her name?"

"Where are all these questions coming from, Sadie?"

"I don't know," she lied. "I just noticed and I wondered. That's all."

Her mother took a long sip of her coffee then gave a sharp nod of her head. "I think she had her initials engraved into the back of it. Your Daddy thought it was silly. He said it was all witches stuff." She gave a sigh and shook her head. "I know your sister loved it. Never once saw her take it off."

Sadie was on the verge of tears again. She could feel the pendant against her skin, hiding beneath the white and black shirt she was wearing. It was possible Marko had bought the necklace at a pawn shop. Maybe, just maybe, those people would remember the girl who sold it to them. It was possible Sarah had been in Santa Carla all that time. "I gotta go," Sadie mumbled, standing up quickly and nearly knocking the chair over in her haste.

Her mother looked worried. "Sadie Marie, you tell me what's going on right now."

"It's just been a rough few days. I'm tired."

"Well you look awful," her mother said very matter of fact. "Why don't you spend the night tonight? You can see your Daddy when he gets home."

"I can't," Sadie said, already turning to head for the front door. "I'll call soon." She hurried out the front door and threw herself into the car. Her hands were shaking so bad that it took several attempts before she had the keys in the ignition. She saw her mother standing in the doorway, waving her hands at Sadie, but there was no time to stop. She had to see Marko and find out exactly where he had got the necklace.

2.

The boardwalk was clogged with afternoon tourists as Sadie made her way to work. Her lunch date with Marko was clearly not going to happen. And that sinking feeling hit her again that she had no way to get in touch with him. Still, they were headed somewhere good, and maybe she had just been so wrapped up in the idea of moving on, she just moved too fast. There was still plenty of time to make up for all that. She walked in a semi daze through the people taking photos of their children on the merry-go-round, the clouds of cigarette smoke and laughing teenagers. Afternoon sunlight filtered through the clouds in bright patches that made the ocean in the distance shimmer.

Sadie still had an hour to kill before her shift started so she decided to take a chance and sit on an empty bench near the store, hoping that maybe Marko would ride up at any moment. Her eyes fixed on a young couple with their small son. They each had a hand and would lift him off the ground in unison, smiling as his infectious giggle filled the air. She felt herself smiling. Would she ever have that?

Her mind returned to the necklace around her neck and her fingers went for the pendant, clutching it tight, as though it might disappear and take its secrets with it. She knew in her heart that this was Sarah's necklace and that after all this time fate had somehow delivered it to her. Marko had the answer to a question that was burning Sadie up inside. As much as she wanted to see him, she wanted to find out the origin of the necklace more. Sarah was so close. So close to being found that it scared her.

"Sadie?"

Sadie was startled by the sound of her name and looked up to find two boys dressed in camouflage standing in front of her. "Yeah?"

"We're Hayden's cousins. She needs to talk to you."

Sadie looked down at her watch. There was not enough time to go home, deal with the epic fight she and Hayden had, and still get back to the boardwalk in time for her shift. "Well, I don't really have the time right now. But I'll call her from the store." She started to stand up when one of the boys blocked her path.

"She's here," he said, pointing to his right. "She really needs to talk to you."

Sadie looked in the direction he was pointing and saw only the comic book store. She was able to put the pieces together from there. Hayden had talked about her aunt and uncle and their comic book store on the boardwalk but had never taken the initiative for Sadie to meet them. She had failed to mention two cousins who dressed like G.I. Joe rejects. Hayden was her best friend, and the only thing more important to her then finding out where Marko bought her necklace, was fixing things with Hayden.

"Okay," she said.

They didn't say anything else to her as they walked toward the store. When they entered it Sadie saw Hayden standing in a far corner chewing on her fingers. She followed the boys to Hayden who grabbed Sadie into a hug without saying a word.

"We can't talk here," said the boy with the red bandanna tied around his head. "Too many ears.

Hayden clutched Sadie's hand so tight it hurt. She followed the two boys to a back room that was barely able to accommodate the four of them. Sadie eyed the two kids, wondering why they wouldn't leave.

"Sadie," Hayden said, her voice horse and tired. "These are my cousins. Edgar," she pointed to bandanna boy, "and Alan Frog." Alan gave her a curt nod then looked to his brother. The silence was deafening and Sadie was starting to feel that if she didn't start talking no one else would.

"Hay, I'm not mad at you," she said, trying to make her face appear sincere when inside she was still pissed. "But we can have this heart to heart back at the house, okay. I've got to get to work." She gave Hayden a quick hug and turned to the boys. "It was nice to meet you."

"Sadie, please, you have to listen to us," Hayden pleaded, grabbing Sadie's arm and tugging her away from the door.

Puzzled, Sadie looked from the brothers back to Hayden. "Why do I feel like this is some weird intervention?"

"Hayden told us what she saw last night," Edgar said gruffly. "You're both in serious danger."

"You have got to be shitting me," Sadie said. She turned to Hayden with a heated glare. "Are you still fucked up?"

Tears spilled down over Hayden's cheeks. "I'm sorry if I hurt you last night, Sadie. When you left…I was so afraid I would never see you again. I thought they would get you."

"This is insane!" Sadie snapped.

"This is real," Alan said firmly. "Get out now or be prepared to be your boyfriend's dinner."

Edgar stepped forward. "We're trying to help you. She's trying to help you," he said pointing at Hayden. "And you're the one that put her in danger."

Sadie took a deep breath. "Listen, Rambo, I am trying really hard right now not to lose it. You're young, I get it. Your older cousin, someone who is supposed to be a responsible adult," she shot Hayden a narrow eyed glare then looked back at the boys. "They come in here and they tell you there are real vampires and you want to believe them. I get that. But my boyfriend, if you could even call him that, is not Count Dracula. So, I'm leaving now. Hayden, when you get your shit together you can come home. In the mean time I think you should stay with your family."

"Sadie, please believe me. Why would I make this up?"

"I don't know!" Sadie said exasperated. "I've been spending all night trying to understand this. If you're not fucked up on drugs then…" she knew she shouldn't say what was about to come out of her mouth, but she couldn't stop herself. "Then you're just fucked up. I love you, Hay, but I can't do this."

"We didn't bring you here so you could talk to our cousin like that," said Alan. "We brought you here so you would know what you're up against. There's a killer breathing down your neck and you're too stupid to notice."

"Wait," Hayden said, her eyes wide with what looked like sudden understanding. "Maybe he doesn't want to kill her. I mean, he didn't kill her when they were doing it."

Sadie's mouth fell open. "Do you mind?" She held up her hands and tried to reach around Edgar for the door. "That's it. I'm out of here."

Edgar looked her in the eyes with a seriousness that was almost funny. "You've had sex with this vampire?"

Sadie took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. "Kid, I am having to conjure every ounce of willpower I possess not to put my fist through that smug little mug of yours. If you think I'm going to be held hostage by a pair of pre-teens and forced to discuss my sex life, you are sadly mistaken."

Alan stepped next to his brother to block Sadie's exit. They crossed their arms over their chests and Sadie let out a laugh she couldn't hold in. It wasn't that she found any of this funny; it was that if she didn't laugh she was going to cry. And she would- not – cry.

"Sadie," Hayden said softly. "Just listen to me, just hear me out and then you can leave and I won't ever mention it again."

Sadie turned around to face Hayden and said, "Say it. Just say whatever you have to say and let's please be done with this."

Hayden looked to the Frog brothers and then back at Sadie. "I want you to know that no matter what you say to me, no matter how mad you get, I am not mad at you. I pushed you into getting involved with Marko and I'm sorry. You know, I was jealous when you first told me about him and you. I was. And then when they all came into the restaurant and David…" She took a deep breath and tried to steady the shake in her voice. "I saw them on White Rock Road, Sadie. They were killing this girl right there, and when they saw me, when they looked at me with those eyes I…I couldn't believe it. I could have just come home and pretended none of it happened. But it did happen, Sadie. And I'm scared for you." She reached behind her and grabbed a stack of comics off the shelf. "Edgar and Alan used to tell me that this shit was real and I laughed it off because all we've ever been taught is that these things are fairy tales. And then I saw it with my own two eyes and I couldn't pretend like I didn't." She handed the comics to Sadie who stared at them like they might bite her, but eventually took them from Hayden's hand.

"What do you want me to do with these?"

"Read them. There's a lot of good information in there about how to protect yourself from them."

"Thanks," Sadie said, stuffing the comics in her purse. "Are we done?"

"No," Edgar said behind her. She turned around and raised a brow waiting to hear his thirteen-year-old wisdom in all its glory. "If you're sleeping with this guy and he hasn't tried to even taste your blood, it's possible he doesn't want to kill you at all."

"Oh, good," Sadie said with as much sarcastic sting as she could muster. "Well, now that's cleared up I'll just be going. Hayden, when you come back to reality with the rest of us, I will still be here."

"He wants to turn you," Alan said quickly. "That's the only reason he would keep you around this long."

Sadie turned back to him with a sigh. "Turn me?"

"Into a vampire."

She allowed the full weight of her glare to land on them both. "Well boys, let's hope that's not the case. Because if I do become a vampire the first thing I'm going to do is come back here and kill both of you. Goodnight." She pushed them out of the way and stomped out of the room with angry tears flooding her face.

"Sadie!" Hayden was running after her, and just so she wouldn't make a scene, Sadie stopped and turned to her.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Sadie pleaded. "Why are you doing this now?"

"I'm sorry, Sadie. Look, just take this, please." She handed Sadie a small glass bottle that looked like it was full of water. "Promise me that if Marko ever tries to hurt you, you'll throw it in his fucking face."

Sadie couldn't argue this lunacy anymore. So she just nodded and bowed her head. Hayden grabbed Sadie before she could pull away and held her tight. "Hayden, please stop this," Sadie said, giving in to the emotions over taking her and returning the hug with full force. "Let me take you to a doctor or something. Let me help you."

"Just promise," Hayden said softly. "You'll throw it in their faces." She gave Sadie a quick kiss on the cheek before she let go and ran back toward the store.

Sadie stood there, the sun setting behind her, and the floodgates let loose. She couldn't believe any of this had happened. Kevin and Keri missing, Hayden losing her mind, Sarah's necklace ending up around her neck. It was all too much. She went to her car and as soon as the door was closed, her crying turned to heaving sobs. There was no way she could work her shift and no way she could just sit there waiting for Marko and the others to return. She needed someone who could help her, who would do anything to make it all better. Right now she needed a father. She needed a pair of strong arms to hold her and promise that the big bad world and all of its craziness wasn't going to swallow her down. Right now, she needed Max.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Thanks again for all the great feedback! The muse took this story on a turn I never saw coming, and I'm really excited for the next chapters. I hope you are too! Let me know your thoughts. They really do help propel me into getting the next chapter done. ~Stormy~_**

1.

Max lived in the Santa Carla cliffs, a seaside community that was well known for its affluent residents and their need for fierce privacy. Sadie had never been to Max's house, but she had written the address down so many times on invoice forms that she knew it by heart. The house was a mile from its nearest neighbor and was perched atop a cliff over looking the calming blue water of the Pacific Ocean. A long walkway led up to the single story ranch home and was closed off by a gate and white washed fence.

Sadie stepped out of her car and shivered as a cool breeze off the water surrounded her. She carefully unlatched the gate and started walking down the lighted walkway. There were no more tears, but her eyes felt raw from all the crying. She was nearing the front door when she heard music coming from inside the house. Miles Davis _Blue in Green_ was immediately recognizable to her. When she reached the door she hesitated before ringing the bell. She hadn't called to say she was coming over, maybe Max was busy, but she had no where else to go. The music was now accompanied by the sound of Max's booming laugh. Sadie pressed her finger against the bell and waited.

After several seconds the front door opened. Max was still mid laugh when he saw Sadie and the smile went lax. "Sadie, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry I didn't call," she stated. "I just didn't know where else to go."

Max reached out and took her arm gently and led her inside. "It's okay, Peanut. Just tell me what's going on."

Sadie looked up into Max's concerned eyes and felt her cool composure shatter. She burst into tears and when Max pulled her into a hug she cried harder. "Oh, Max, everything is so messed up. Hayden's lost her shit. I mean, really lost it."

Max gingerly stroked her hair and rocked her softly from side to side. "What do you mean?"

"I thought she was just high last night," Sadie said with a sniff. "But when I saw her today…She's gone crazy, Max. Like really, really crazy."

Max held Sadie back and said, "What do you mean she's gone crazy? What has Hayden done?"

"She kept telling me she saw Marko and his friends kill some girl. That they were vampires." As soon as the word left her lips Sadie started to laugh. "Vampires! Can you believe it? And the thing is, Max, she really _does_ believe it."

"Come in and sit down, Peanut." Max led her to the sofa and sat her down. "Can I get you some water or maybe some wine?"

She shook her head. "No, thank you. I just didn't know where else to go."

He sat down beside her and placed his hand on her knee. "Sadie, I told you to always come to me if you needed anything. There wasn't a time stamp on the matter."

"I think I'm screwed up too," she whispered, wiping at her eyes.

"Screwed up how?"

"Do you know Marko's last name?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I can't say that I do."

"Well neither do I. I don't know anything about him. I don't know where he lives, where he works. I don't even know his phone number."

Max gave a nod of his head and said, "Well, it's not such a big deal, Peanut. You haven't known each other that long."

"I slept with him," she said, not even caring if this knowledge would embarrass Max and humiliate her. "I don't do that, Max. I don't sleep with people I don't know."

Max averted his eyes from hers and cleared his throat nervously. "You like this boy," he said. "When you really like someone, Sadie, it can make you do things you wouldn't normally do."

"Maybe," said Sadie. "There's something else." He looked back at her and she reached up to touch the pendant hanging around her neck. "Marko gave me…" She was cut off by the sound of a woman's voice.

"Max, honey, do want me to put the vegetables on simmer?"

Max and Sadie both looked to the kitchen where a pretty blonde was standing in the archway holding a glass of white wine. When she saw Sadie she stopped. "Oh," she said. "I didn't realize someone had stopped by."

Max stood up from the couch, straightened the black and white checkered sweater he was sporting and smiled at the blonde. "Angela, this is Sadie. She works for me." He smiled down at Sadie. "Sadie this is a friend of mine. Angela Baxter."

"Nice to meet you," Sadie said, already standing. "I'm not staying," she assured the other woman. "I just needed to give Max some information on the store." She looked up at him. "Thanks, Max. I'll see you tomorrow." The blonde gave Sadie a sly smile before heading back into the kitchen.

"Sadie," Max stopped her. "Just sit down, Peanut. You're not leaving as upset as you are. Let me go talk to Angela for a minute and then you and I will finish our talk."

"No, Max. I don't want to mess up your night."

He gave her shoulder a squeeze. "You're not. Just sit down here and wait, please."

Sadie nodded and went back to the sofa, not wanting to ruin Max's date but not wanting to leave either. She took the time to look over Max's house. It wasn't what she had imagined, really. It was modern almost to a fault. The furniture was art deco with sharp edges and glossy surfaces. A neon lamp was set up in one corner, the squares rotating colors that made you dizzy if you stared at them for too long.

Her eye caught site of two sliding doors. They were dark stained oak with a strange design carved into the wood. The doors were slightly open and Sadie could see what looked like a wall of bookshelves illuminated by soft orange light. Something told her she shouldn't go snooping around Max's house, but was it really snooping or just curiosity about someone she admired so much. She looked back towards the kitchen and could still hear the muffled voices of Angela and Max as they talked.

Her feet were moving before she realized it and as her fingers brushed the smoothed wood on the doors, she felt an intense need to see what was inside that room. She opened the doors wider, just enough that she could squeeze through. The room was round, which surprised her. The walls were comprised entirely of bookshelves and Sadie's eyes widened at the sight. She had never seen so many books at once outside of a library. In the center of the room was a mahogany desk, an old fashioned quill and inkwell adorned the surface along with a pile of papers.

Sadie examined the spines of the books; some of them looked so old she was sure they would crumble under her touch. How did Max get all of these books? As she walked the perimeter of the room, her fingers brushing the spines of all the books as she went, she was stopped short by a shelf that did not hold books at all, but framed photographs. Max was immediately recognizable to her. It was strange though, the photos looked so old, the black and white faded with time and yet Max looked just the same. His glasses were wire rimmed round spectacles, odd, and so out of place for the Max she knew. The clothes were modest, a simple jacket and long tie, again unlike the Max she had come to know. Her eyes moved to another photo and she felt her entire body stiffen, a strange tingle of unbelieving moved through her.

She grabbed the gold frame and held the image directly in front of her face. Max stood in the center, leaning against a light green car she could only define as a classic. He was wearing a sweater vest, dark rimmed glasses and a wide brimmed hat. On his right was a young man, white blonde hair styled with perfect precision, his ice blue eyes seeming to break through the photograph. His arms were crossed and he was wearing an open collared shirt with a white t-shirt underneath. _David. _She recognized the others too. Their hair was short, their clothing unmistakably from the 1950's. She wouldn't have even recognized the clean cut hair and smiles. And standing next to David, a cigarette between his fingers, curly honey hair slicked back on the sides, she saw Marko. Sadie flipped the frame over in her hands and removed the card board backing so that the photo could slide into her fingers. On the back, written in a hand she knew was Max's, it read: _Max and his boys. Dwayne, David and Marko. Summer, 1953._

Sadie felt the frame slip from her fingers and hit the floor with a shatter. Still clutching the photograph in her hands, her head spinning, legs weak, she started backing out of the room. Her eyes were noticing other things now. A masters degree hanging on the wall dated 1905, Max's name printed on it in perfect calligraphy. Sadie slipped back through the doors, her heart pounding so loud she was sure Max would hear it. As quietly as she could she made her way to the front door and had her hand on the knob when Max's voice called out to her.

"Peanut, where are you going?"

She turned over her shoulder, tears teetering on the edge of her eyes. "I need to get back to the store. Maria is all alone." With her hands behind her back, she turned to face him, stuffing the photograph into her back pocket. "Thank you for everything."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?"

She nodded, reaching behind her and opening the door. "Goodnight, Max." The door was closed before he could respond and Sadie was sprinting down the walkway back to her car. None of it made sense. Everything was turning circles inside her head and she couldn't get a grasp on it. "Hayden," she whispered, seeing her friends terrified eyes flash in her mind. She put the car in drive and slammed on the gas speeding back towards the boardwalk.

2.

Sadie had one thing on her mind when she parked her car at the boardwalk. She had to find Hayden and avoid Marko. There was nothing rational in her fear and deep down she knew that. After all, it wasn't possible that the photograph she had seen was really taken in 1953, nor was it at all possible that Marko and the others were vampires. But still, there was an uneven heaviness descending on Sadie and she had decided it was her subconscious telling her that nothing good would come from being with Marko.

Before getting out of her car she scanned her surroundings. The regular array of tourists and locals were everywhere but no sign of the Lost Boys. She got out, kept her head down and made a beeline for the comic book shop. As soon as she was inside a sort of relief washed over her.

"What are you doing here?"

She swung around to find Alan with his arms crossed. "Where's Hayden?"

"She went home," Edgar said, emerging from behind one of the bins.

"You let her leave?"

He laughed. "What were we supposed to do? We told her to stay here but she said she had to get home."

Sadie ran her hands through her hair. "Okay, I'll go home and get her."

"Why are you here?" Alan asked. "You didn't seem to be Hayden's friend the last time we saw you."

"Of course I'm her friend," she insisted. "It's just…She was acting so crazy, so…"

"Afraid," Edgar finished. "You don't look to good yourself."

"I'm fine."

"If you need us," he said, holding out a battered looking comic. "Our number is on the back."

"Thanks," she said, not even looking at it. "I'll tell Hayden to call."

As she walked back to her car she couldn't stop scanning the boardwalk with her eyes. She expected them to ride up at any moment. But they didn't. And once she was in the car she tore out of the parking lot and headed toward home, not sure what she would say to Hayden about the strange things she had found in Max's house. Or if she would tell her anything at all. Confusion was mounting inside Sadie at a pace she couldn't keep up with. As soon as one thought surfaced a logical explanation would devour it, until the next unbelievable scenario was reborn. Home. That was all she could focus on in that moment. Getting home and getting to Hayden.

3.

Hayden's mind was spinning as David held her in his arms. She had been at the comic book store, thinking about Sadie, wondering how she could ever protect her from something she didn't truly believe in herself, when she heard her name being called. Edgar had told her that vampires could control your mind if they found a way inside it, but even this knowledge couldn't stop her from walking out of the store.

_Hayden. Come on down darlin', come see what we have for you._

Her will had not been strong enough to fight them, and as the sky darkened into an indigo dream she was walking in a zombie like glaze toward the beach.

_That's right, sugar. Come here. No one is going to hurt you. _

She walked down the steps of the boardwalk slowly, the rich, melodic voice in her head urging her on. Then, without a breath to think about what she was doing, someone grabbed her into their arms and took her flying into the night. They laughed at her, mocked her for how easy she had been to nab. She tried to remember all the things the Frogs had told her, but her mind was an empty space now, filled only with their laughter.

She buried her face in David's chest, her eyes stinging as the cold air hit hard. The clouds were nothing but fine mist as he carried her back to their home. Flying was a weightless sensation, a strange comfort was found in the strong arms that held her. For a moment she wondered if it was really such a bad thing to be like them. She felt something poking her in the hip and remembered the vial of holy water Alan had given her. _"Think of it as mace."_

Her mind began to clear, and the fear that should have been there all along, gripped her. They were descending toward the ground. She could feel the pressure shifting in her ears, like being on an airplane when the altitude changes.

David's feet hit the hard earth with a thud, making Hayden's teeth come down hard around her tongue. She winced with pain, then tasted blood in her mouth. David flinched, sniffing at the air before dropping those cool blue eyes to her. He laughed when he saw the look of fear on her face, knowing that she knew he smelled the blood now filling her mouth.

"In we go," he said, holding Hayden a little tighter as he lunged toward the opening of the cave.

David sat Hayden down on one of the sofas, smiling at her as she shivered. He gave another little laugh then turned to watch as the other three vampires entered. Hayden felt something warm on her lips and dabbed at them with her fingers. She looked down at her hand to see her fingertips covered in blood. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and wiped furiously at her lips, trying to erase any and all temptation. The blood was still in her mouth, the bitter metallic taste burning her throat. Her head was throbbing with a sharp pulsing beat focused at her temples.

She looked around her, taking in all the strange sights. From the fisherman net hanging like a twisted chandelier from the ceiling, to the hardened starfish and seashells decorating a dilapidated fountain in the center of the room. A cold, so deep and penetrating it was painful, spread throughout her. She drew her knees to her chest and closed her eyes.

Paul was standing on the rim of the fountain watching her, smelling the blood, and becoming hungry for it. "She's a cutie," he said. "Seems a waste to kill her now."

"We're not killing her…yet." David smiled at Hayden. "We need her. She's going to be the bridge Sadie walks over to get in here."

Hayden looked away from them, fighting back tears. The Frogs had been right. They didn't want to kill Sadie. They wanted to make her one of them. This was all too real, and she wished for something to help her escape this reality, even for a moment. Her impression of the cave was that it was the perfect hide away for a group of lost boys. It was a dream land, fantasy and reality all rolled into one stone bubble. Her mind drifted to Sadie. Hayden was praying to a god she wasn't even sure existed, that Sadie had left Santa Carla for good. Maybe gone back to Soquel. But Hayden knew better then that. Sadie would go home and try to work things out, keep pushing Hayden to go to a doctor, convinced this was all a psychotic break in Hayden's head. She knew that if Sadie found out where she was, she would do anything to save her. Even offer herself in Hayden's place. Marko must have known that too, which was probably why he had chosen Sadie in the first place.

"Go to her house," David ordered in the darkness. "You let Sadie know what the game is and how we play." His cold gaze fell on Hayden. "Let her know the stakes have gone up."

Paul was puffing hard on a joint and as soon as Hayden smelled that familiar sweet smoke she wished she could have some. Anything to melt the hard icy edges of fear that had grown up around her. She met Paul's eyes and he seemed to know what she wanted. He hopped down off the fountain and walked with a confident swagger over to the couch.

"You want some of this?" he asked, holding the joint out toward her.

Hayden slowly dropped her knees and sat forward on the couch. "Can I?" she asked, hoping it was strong enough to put her in a daze. Paul's lips curved into a smile. He sucked hard at the joint then knelt down so he was eye to eye with her. When he reached out and grabbed her by the back of the neck her first reaction was to fight him. Then he pressed his lips to hers and blew the smoke into her mouth.

"That's all you're getting," Paul said. "So I'd hold that shit in for as long as you can." He planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek then sauntered back over to the fountain with a chuckle.

Hayden held it as long as she could, then let it go, feeling that warm haze spread through her. She watched as David spoke to Marko, who chewed his lips with anticipation of the night ahead. David gave him a pat on the back and Marko turned to leave. Inside Hayden knew there was nothing she could do to help Sadie now, but she had to try.

She jumped up and ran at him, grabbing hold of the sleeve of Marko's jacket and tugging him backward. He laughed with surprise and looked from David down to the crying girl. "Don't do this to Sadie, please! Just leave her alone."

"You offering yourself in her place," Marko smirked, as if it was actually a viable option.

Hayden let go of his arm and stepped back. "Will you leave her alone if I do?"

Marko stepped toward her, Hayden taking another step back. David watched the strange dance with amused eyes while Dwayne and Paul simply laughed at the pathetic creature that had no idea what she was up against.

"Come here," Marko said.

Hayden was frozen. What would happen to her if she did let them turn her into whatever the hell they really were? What would the process be like? Would there be pain? After she was changed would she hunger for Sadie like he did? As she was thinking these things Marko grabbed her and pulled her into his chest. He pressed his palm against her cheek and forced her head to the side so that the long slender line of her neck was visible. Hayden's heartbeat called to all of them as she gave in to the fear she couldn't control.

Marko pressed his nose against her skin and inhaled the scent of soft rose petals and honey. His tongue made a long slow dance up her throat to her ear. Hayden could hear the others breathing, waiting for whatever bloody conclusion was to come. "Mmmm," Marko growled. "You taste good enough to eat." She tried to pull away but his grip tightened. "We'll take her together," he laughed. "You and I can bathe in Sadie's blood. Is that what you want, Hayden? To take her place by my side."

"No," she whimpered. "Don't do this."

"I think we should all get a sample," Paul giggled from the darkness, hidden in a mass of shadows where light from the lit barrels couldn't reach him. "Might as well have some fun with her. Don't you think, Dwayne?"

"Seems only fair," Dwayne agreed from his seat on another of the battered sofas.

"No, no, boys," Marko laughed, his grip on her hair tightening. "She wants to take Sadie's place. And Sadie is mine."

"Stop playing with your food," David chuckled. "You know she's just an appetizer to the main course."

Marko looked down into her terrified eyes. He licked at the lines of her lips and tasted the blood that was still there from her bit tongue. Tears fell in heavy rivers down her cheeks. "I have a better idea," he said. There was a sudden stinging to the right side of her face, followed by a dull heat. Her ear began to throb against the cool air in the cave. She felt Marko tugging on the earring in the lobe of her right ear. His breath was warm against her skin as he licked at the lightening bolt earring she always wore. Then, without warning he snapped his head back and Hayden felt the flesh rip apart, the sound of all that sinewy tissue stretching echoed through her head. Her scream pierced every corner of the cave as Marko tore the earring off her, then latched his lips to the shredded lobe to suck away the blood that followed. Hayden pushed at his chest with her hands, the slurping sounds and harsh grunts a frightening soundtrack to the events. Marko pushed her back, snarling at her as his lips drew back to showcase the tips of his fangs. She stared at him, the monster wearing a Marko mask, and screamed until her voice was cracking.

"I think this will be a sweet gift for, Sadie," David said, taking the earring from Marko and looking it over. "Let her know that this little bitch doesn't have a lot of time left."

Marko smiled back at Hayden, and then with a flurry of movement, was gone. Hayden held her hand over her injured ear and began to sob. It was burning fiercely and she could feel blood slipping down the side of her neck and pooling into the concave of her collar bone. She grabbed onto the sofa and dug her fingers into the armrest. The other vampires started walking toward her, their eyes glowing in the darkness, their hunger aroused by the sight and smell of her blood. She slipped her hand into the pocket of her jeans, her fingers wrapping around the vial of holy water. She was afraid of what might happen if she threw it at them, but not as afraid as what might happen if she didn't. There wasn't much, certainly not enough to thwart all of them off, but it was the only protection she had. She pulled the vial out and held it in front of her.

"Don't touch me," she screamed. "This is holy water and I'll throw it on all of you, I swear it." Her voice sounded shrill in her ears, the squeaking demands of a girl way in over her head. She knew she looked ridiculous. Holding up that small vial of clear liquid and threatening three large vampires who stared at her with amusement. But this was a desperate circumstance and she was willing to do anything.

"What do you think that's going to do to us, Hayden?" David asked, his voice sounding both angry and amused.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "But I will throw it in your fucking face so I can find out."

David took a step toward her, but stopped as she took the top off the vial. "Throw it baby. I want you to."

"Come closer," Hayden whispered.

Dwayne stepped up behind David, glaring at her with his amber eyes. "That won't kill us you stupid, bitch."

"It'll sting," Paul interjected. "Sting like a son-of-a-bitch, but not so much that we won't be able to rip you apart."

She met David's eyes again. There was a sudden calm that settled over her and she actually felt herself smile at his suggestion. She let the vial fall from her hands and in seconds it was shattered under the heel of David's boot.

"What else you got?" David asked with a laugh. He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her higher until her toes were scratching at the cave floor. "You are going to be so much fun." He looked back over his shoulder. "Boys? Who's ready to play?"

4.

Sadie pulled into the driveway of the beach house, dimming the headlights but leaving the motor running. The windows were dark, the house looked undisturbed. Swallowing down any residual fear she had carried with her from the boardwalk, Sadie withdrew the keys from the ignition and slowly got out of the car. As she walked up the steps of the front porch she stopped, listening to how quiet the beach was. No bonfires sprinkled about, no surfers out for a night ride, just the sound of the crashing surf and thunder in the distance. She pushed open the front door and stepped inside. It was dark and quiet.

"Hayden? Are you home?" Sadie's voice boomed against the silence, making the place feel that much emptier.

She dropped her purse onto the sofa and without turning on the lights started down the hallway towards Hayden's bedroom. She had to force her legs to keep moving, as her mind seemed determined to will her body in the opposite direction and towards the front door. The urge to scream or run slithered through her. The picture she had stolen from Max's was still in her back pocket and her fingers itched to take it out and examine it again. But she didn't, instead she opened Hayden's door and peered into the room. "Hay, you in here?" The bed was made, Hayden's robe still slung over the end of the mattress. She backed out of the room and closed the door, stiffening when she heard a faint noise behind her. Then she smelled the scent that Marko always carried with him. An earthy aroma that had ignited everything inside her. But where she had once felt arousal at that scent, she was now consumed with a panicky fear. She turned over her shoulder but saw nothing except for the shadows dancing on the walls. "Marko?"

"Polo," a voice whispered beside her.

Sadie screamed and spun around only to find empty space. She backed herself against the door and tried to hold in the tears. A shadowy outline emerged at the end of the hall. Her chest was moving rapidly as she struggled to take in more air. It was Marko, and he was there for her. Of that she had no doubt.

"I missed you," he said, his voice low and purposeful. He wanted to frighten her. He wanted the magnitude of the danger she was in to devour her. "Did you miss me?"

Sadie searched for her voice but all she managed was a breathy whimper as Marko slowly walked down the hall toward her. She was shaking, still tying to back herself into the door. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was soft, almost mute. Marko would have heard her even if she had sent the words to him on nothing but a feather. His ears could hear sounds no human ever would.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" he asked, his smirk hidden in the shadows. When he finally reached her he could smell her fear, could see it reflected in her big blue eyes.

"I want you to leave," she said, flinching as he reached out to caress her hair between his fingers.

"Leave? That's not very nice, Sadie." He pouted, then laughed as he pressed himself against her, his hunger aroused by the sound of her blood rushing in his ears. "I thought you wanted to be my girl." Sadie let out a helpless sob, her hands pressed against the door while she tried to turn her face away from his advancing lips. He grabbed her face and squeezed her round cheeks between his fingers. "We shouldn't be playing this way, Sadie. Not when we both know why I'm here."

Sadie looked into his eyes with a plea he never intended to hear. "I don't," she said, and that was the truth. "Please, Marko." She inhaled a deep breath as his hands moved from her hair, to her shoulders, down over her breasts until he gripped her hips hard.

"I know she told you," he growled. "Stop playing dumb with me."

Sadie's eyes went wide. He was talking about Hayden and the story she told about the boys on White Rock Road. The picture in her back pocket wasn't just some illusion meant to confuse her. It was real. Hayden had been telling the truth. "What do you want from me?"

Marko took her by the arms and slammed her hard into the wall. Her mouth opened, the air in her lungs expelled in one painful push. "I want your blood," he hissed, his mouth over her ear. "I want to drink every drop, baby. But I can't. I can't because Max doesn't want to lose his little Peanut."

"No," she sobbed. "That's not true."

Marko's hand tightened around her throat making her eyes go wide with panic. "No? Don't be so dense, Sadie. Not when I know how smart you really are." He leaned into her, his cheek pressed against hers. "Don't fight me," he whispered. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you make me."

A thousand thoughts went zooming through her head. All the lunacy had spiraled into a single reality she couldn't deny. "Hayden," she choked out the word and Marko loosened his grip around her throat. "Where is she?"

Marko studied her, cocking his head to the side, wondering if brutal honesty would be enough to have her walk into the cave holding his hand. "If you come back with me we'll let her go." She let out another sob and he smiled down at her. "Don't you want to know how we got her? She was on the boardwalk surrounded by thousands of people. We're a lot of things, baby. But stupid isn't one of them." He ran his thumb over her soft lips and liked the way she shivered under his touch. "We got inside her pretty little head and called to her. She came right into David's arms."

Her eyes danced over his face. "Then why don't you…"

"Why don't I jump inside your head and fuck it sideways? I can't do that with you, Sadie. None of us can."

"Why not?"

Marko shrugged, and licked his lips as he pressed himself against her harder. Would it be uncouth to want her one last time while she was alive? To have that warm flesh against his cold skin and know it would be her last real moment as a human being. "You're special, girl. We've only ever known one other person like you. Someone who could resist us."

Sadie was trembling; hating his touch with the same fervor she had once craved it. "Where are they now?"

"She's dead," he breathed into her ear. "David killed her. He wanted to turn her, to see what our power would do merged with hers. But he couldn't stop himself. Her blood was sweeter then anyone else before." He breathed against her hard, feeling himself getting ready to shift. "I wonder if you taste the same."

Sadie closed her eyes and felt a new stream of tears move down her cheeks. Everything was coming together for her now. "My necklace," she whispered. "It was hers wasn't it?"

"Yes," Marko said leaning back from her. "How did you guess that?"

Marko didn't get the necklace at a pawn shop. She knew that now. He had plucked it from her dead sister's body after David had murdered her. Her mind focused on the bottle Hayden had given her earlier. She had made Sadie promise to throw it on Marko if he ever tried to hurt her. Sadie had no idea what was in it, but she would find out. It was in her purse on the sofa, she just had to get to it. Without warning she lifted her knee hard and rammed it into Marko's groin. He howled out in pain, stepping back cupping his injury and shifting completely in his fury. Sadie saw his face, his glowing eyes and screamed as she tried to run past him. He reached for her with a growl but she was too fast and his hands were grasping air.

Sadie charged down the hall and was almost to the couch when she was struck from behind with a force that threw her forward. She hit the sofa and rolled off it with a thud. Her purse and all its contents scattered to the floor. She saw the bottle roll across the carpet toward the picture window. She got to her knees and started crawling toward it. A scream erupted from her lips as she felt a strong hand wrap around her ankle and pull her back. Her fingers clawed at the carpet, tears blurring her vision, but her will was so strong. Lights from outside swept through the inside of the house. Beach patrol was out and Sadie readied her lungs for the scream that would have them charging her house with guns drawn.

Marko fell onto her back and wrapped his hand around her mouth, fingers over her nose. "Stop it, Sadie," he growled. "You're making this much harder then it has to be."

She struggled under him, her body fighting for the air he was denying her. With one hand still covering her mouth he used the other to grip her hair. He pulled her head back and then slammed it hard into the floor. Sadie saw stars and heard the ringing in her ears. With her dazed, but still conscious, Marko flipped her over and held her arms down at her side. Blood was leaking from a gash above her eye and he couldn't have denied himself even if he wanted to.

He leaned forward and let his tongue slide across her forehead. David had been right. Whatever Sadie was, whatever that artist before her, their blood was like heaven. Like the sunlight he had abandoned so long ago. Vision tunneling she stared at the nightmare above her until the sweet black abyss of nothingness surrounded her. As she faded into unconsciousness she heard him laugh and felt herself flying.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank_ you for all the feedback! I was really inspired and am so appreciative. Keep it up ;) ~Stormy~ _**

1.

When Sadie opened her eyes it was to the fantastical surroundings of the cave. She blinked hard, her head throbbing. A sharp pain in her wrists woke her further. Marko was behind her, tying her wrists together behind her back with thick rope. The nightmare had become a reality. He was a vampire, a monster, and everything around her – the cave walls, the moth eaten furniture, her spirit – was fading behind her tears.

"Where's Hayden?" she asked softly.

Marko tightened the rope more and smiled to himself as Sadie bit back the pain. "She's here," he promised. "When it's time you can see her." He moved around so he was kneeling in front of her, admiring the crusted blood over her eye and the purple bruise forming beneath it. Did her tell her that once she took a drink; all the hurts would fade away? No, he rather liked the idea of having her suffer these last moments of her human life. He had chosen her, true. But not for this. This was all Max, and part of Marko wanted to punish Sadie for it.

"Why can't I see her now?" She looked into that boyish face, unable to rationalize or accept the lie it was hiding.

Marko reached out and ran his finger gently down her cheek. She released a tiny whimper as her body tried to curl away from him. "Do you remember that night? The night you let me fuck you."

Sadie bit her lip. The way he said it, the way he laid the words so nonchalantly at her made her feel sick all over again. Maybe they hadn't made love, but Sadie had never thought she let Marko _fuck _her. She had let him have a part of her she had been holding onto so fiercely, because she trusted him.

"What about it?" she asked, still not looking him in the eye.

"You liked it when I touched you then." His hand moved down, stopping briefly to caress her neck, before he filled his hands with her breasts. She drew in a breath, a whole new slew of tears cascading down her apple cheeks. "Do you like it now?"

She shook her head. "No," she spat. "I don't want you to ever touch me again."

Marko dropped his hands and stood up with a laugh. He looked down on Sadie and smiled. "Forever is a long time, baby. I think you might change your mind."

"You don't know me," she said. "I'll never be like you."

"That's what we're counting on," David smiled, emerging like a ghost from the darkness. A beam of moonlight shone bright on the center of that old hotel lobby, and David stood in the light like a ring master. He stopped next to Marko and looked down on Sadie with cold eyes. "This isn't for us. It's for Max."

Sadie looked away from him and pressed her cheek against her shoulder. Why would Max do this to her? He wasn't like them was he? Max was her friend, in so many ways; he had been like a father. "Where is Max?" she asked.

David laughed to himself and lit a cigarette. He handed it to Marko then lit another for himself. "Well, this part here, it's the dirty work. I don't think he has the stomach to see what's going to happen to his little Peanut."

Sadie's heart was pounding. "What do you want from me? Just tell me what you want and I'll do it. Let Hayden go and I'll do anything you want." David and Marko both laughed, and their laughter was joined by Paul and Dwayne who stepped out of a wall of shadows in the distance. "Hayden!" Sadie screamed when she saw Hayden in Paul's grasp. She had been stripped to her bra and panties, and Sadie could see every scratch and bite mark. What had they done to her?

"We know you will, sugar," David said, smiling back at Hayden with a wink before returning the full weight of his stare to Sadie. "That big soft heart of yours will do anything to save her."

Paul and Dwayne stepped into the center of the room and Sadie struggled against her restraints as Paul threw Hayden to the ground at her feet. "Stop it," she said, looking directly at Marko. "_Please_. Please make this stop."

There was a moment when Marko met her eyes and this time he was the one to flinch. She was looking at him with such a pleading hope that it made his body hurt. This wasn't as much fun as he thought it would be. Suddenly he was no longer interested in hurting her; he just wanted to get the whole thing over with.

"Do you think he wants to help you?" David laughed at the absurdity of the idea. "He was playing you, _Peanut_. The only thing he wants from you is your blood."

"I don't know," Paul giggled. "He did say she was a decent fuck." He leaned his elbow on Marko's shoulder. "Magic Marko here was the first guy to ever make Sadie come."

They all laughed, but not Marko. He saw the embarrassed hurt wash over her features, the accusation of betrayal staring at him from behind her eyes. "Let's just do it already," Marko said, sounding bored. "The quicker she drinks, the quicker we can get out of here."

"Why do we need to leave?" asked Dwayne. "We already have our dinner." He kicked Hayden in the side. She barely made a noise.

David looked over at Marko and saw the blank stare in his eyes. He needed to get Marko back on track, and back to their side. Marko was one of the most brutal killers David had ever known, but there was a part of him that would never shake off the humanity that Mary Ann had scarred him with. Her death had made Marko hate the human weakness of death and fragility, but at times it had also made him envious of it.

"Go get the bottle," David said to Paul. Paul danced across the room and when he returned he was holding the ornately decorated bottle that would change Sadie's life forever. He handed it to David, who then handed it to Marko. "You do it," David said. "She's yours."

Marko took the bottle and stared down at it with fond remembrance. It wasn't the bottle, but what was in it that had all the boys shiver, their bodies remembering the moment when they had taken their first sip. To become a vampire one had to drink a vampire's blood. A sire would be connected to his fledgling for all the days to come, and there was a love and bond created from that blood that not even a human mother would truly understand. Max was a part of all of them, his blood flowed in their veins, but their loyalty was to David whose blood had given them all a new life. They were Max's gift to his childe. A pack all his own, one that would teach him how to be a true head of household, and then one day they would sire fledglings of their own. It was Max's dream. A family that wound through the centuries, riding the years on the basis of his blood.

Marko stepped over Hayden's body and crouched down in front of Sadie. "Don't fight this," he warned her. "There's no other way this is going to go. If you make this harder then it has to be, Hayden's the one that will suffer for it. Do you understand?"

Sadie nodded, inhaling deep breaths for courage, terrified of what was to come. She looked down at the bottle and then to Hayden, who had lifted her head off the ground to pierce Sadie with bloodshot eyes.

"Don't," Hayden whispered. "Don't do it."

"Shut the fuck up," Paul spat down at her, giving her a sharp kick to the side with his boot.

"Sadie," Marko said her name and brought her attention back to him. "You ready?"

"How will it work?" she asked, knowing she had no choice and accepting this fate. She had to save Hayden. The Frogs had been right when they said she was the one responsible for the danger Hayden was now in. If she could save her, she would.

David answered her. "You mean, will you drink this and then turn around to kill your friend?"

She lifted her eyes to him, the fight gone from her completely. "Yes."

Marko touched her cheek and kept his voice soft, his face calm. This had to go smoothly. She was Max's pet project, and although he would never admit to the others, he didn't want to torture her anymore. He just wanted it to be over. "It will take a few days to complete the process. But you'll feel a change the moment you drink it."

"You'll be a monster," Hayden said, trying to push her weakened body off the ground. "You'll be a killer, Sadie. Just like them."

Dwayne stepped forward and pressed his boot against the back of her neck, forcing her down to the ground. "You open your mouth again and I will flay you right here."

Sadie felt the cave closing in on her as the arms of her past and future began to pull her in opposite directions like she was the rope in a tug o' war game. She looked into Marko's eyes and said, "Did you mean any of it?"

He looked back over his shoulder at his brothers then back at her. "When you're like me you'll understand." It was the only truth he was willing to give her.

She closed her eyes, clenching them tight, and opened her mouth waiting for him to pour that cursed liquid down her throat. She could hear Hayden whimpering next to her, could hear the waves outside crashing like thunder against the cave. Then she felt cool skin against her cheek, soft fingertips brushing gently over her lips. She could sense Marko coming closer, his chest pressing into hers, and then she tasted his kiss. Warm liquid spilled into her mouth. Sadie tried to pull away from him, but Marko gripped the back of her head and crushed her mouth with his. The blood wasn't salty like she had imagined it would be. There was a sweet under taste that coated her tongue and her throat contracted, easing it down. Again she tried to pull away from him, the deed done, but he didn't let her go. He kissed her harder, the others whooping and urging him on. Then suddenly he let her go. He stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and gave the bottle back to David.

Sadie wouldn't have noticed the differences if she hadn't been expecting them. She could still taste the blood in her mouth and the tears that had been so steady were completely gone. Everything appeared just a little clearer, like a film had been removed from her eyes. She moved her gaze to Marko, panting, blood and saliva dripping from his lips. For a moment she forgot everyone else, even Hayden. There was a second when she and Marko were the only two people in that cave.

And then she felt her. _Sarah_.

Sadie's eyes widened, her mouth parted as a breath of disbelief escaped her. She was standing in the corner, long brown hair, eyes so similar to her own. "Sarah," Sadie said, trying to wiggle out of the ropes binding her. The boys looked behind them, trying to see what she did.

"Who the fuck is she talking to?" Paul asked with a laugh.

Sadie watched with wonder as Sarah stepped into the light from the barrels. She smiled down at Sadie and put a finger over her lips. Then she knelt down next to Hayden and looked at the broken girl with sad eyes.

"Help her," Sadie pleaded.

"This bitch is nuts," Dwayne mumbled. "No wonder Max likes her."

But David knew better. It was the blood. It was doing something to her that it had never done to any of them. "Marko, untie her."

"Why?" Marko didn't want to untie her. It was done. He wanted to get the fuck out of that cave and go find some hot piece of tail that would make him forget all about her. His stomach clenched with hunger. "Let's just go already."

"We're not leaving," David said, his eyes still watching Sadie as she stared at something his eyes were blind to. "We have plenty of action here."

"I'm hungry," Marko snapped.

"Then by all means," David said, sweeping his arm down towards Hayden. "Bon _appétit_."

Marko made no move toward Hayden, and no move to untie Sadie. David rolled his eyes and walked over to the bound girl trying desperately to get free. He reached around her, smiled into her wide, unblinking eyes, and undid the ropes. When he stepped back Sadie was slowly standing.

Sarah stood up and smiled at Sadie. How long had she been dreaming and hoping for this moment? All those years of staring at her sister's face behind a picture frame, wanting so deeply to know that part of her. Desperate to find the missing piece that would complete the puzzle of who Sadie was.

"Don't go," Sadie whispered, reaching out her hand to the dead sister she had been longing for.

_I won't leave, _Sarah said. _I never did, Sadie. I've always been here._

David stood behind Sadie and put his hands gently on her shoulders. He leaned into her ear. "What do you see, Sadie? Tell me."

She didn't answer him. She couldn't, because Sarah was not alone and Sadie could not understand what she was seeing. They came out of the shadows, children, adults, all races and classes. Sadie pressed her back into David's chest as her eyes fell on Kevin and Keri. They were covered in blood, Keri's right eye a frightening black hole of emptiness. "Get away from me," Sadie whispered. She was trembling, terrified of the images before her. "Go away!" she screamed, more and more of them surrounding the cave.

_Sadie, I'm sorry for what I did to you. _Kevin was speaking to her, holding tight to Keri's hand.

Sadie turned into David's body, burying her face in his chest, clinging to his coat with a tight grip. She felt herself shattering, felt pieces of herself breaking away in chunks. David's arms wrapped around her, his eyes smiling at Marko who could only stare. When Sadie glanced back the people were all still there. Her eyes took them all in, seeing the throats splayed open, the hands with missing fingers, and the blood that stained their clothes. Sarah had resumed kneeling down beside Hayden, her own white shirt stained blood red.

"What do you want from me?" she cried, then turned to look up into David's eyes. "Make them stop, please!"

"There, there, sugar. You just hold on to me and tell me what you see."

Marko took a step forward and narrowed his eyes on David. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"She's scared, Marko. Look at her. She just needs someone to hold her." He laughed, enjoying both the jealousy beaming from Marko and the excitement of Sadie's turn.

Marko shifted, so fast it even caught David off guard. He reached down and yanked Hayden up off the ground, her frail form hanging limply in his arms. "Say goodbye," he growled into her ear.

"Sadie," Hayden called. "It's okay."

Sadie unwound her arms from David and turned around. All the people were slowly coming forward to stand beside Sarah. "Hayden, she's here," Sadie whispered. She walked to Hayden and David did not try to stop her. He wanted to see what she did next. As though she couldn't even see the monster clutching Hayden in his arms, Sadie reached out and touched Hayden's cheek. "She's here, Hay. I think she came for you." She looked over at Sarah who answered with a gentle nod. "They all did."

"Enough of this bullshit," Marko growled and threw his hand into Sadie's chest with a force that threw her into David hard. Her eyes locked on him and the terror she saw staring back at her sent her reeling. Marko opened his mouth wide and sank his fangs so deep into Hayden that they scraped bone. A gurgled scream exploded from her throat as the blood seeped in dark red rivers over her skin.

Paul and Dwayne shifted and waited for their turn. Within minutes Hayden was lying on the ground, three vampires devouring her. She didn't scream, didn't cry, just held Sadie's stare.

_Sadie, you have to be strong. _Hayden was standing in front of her now, Sarah beside her. All the others who had come were now fading back into the shadows. _You don't have to be like them. You're special. You understand that now. You know that is why they wanted you._

"This is my fault," Sadie cried. "I did this."

_No, Sadie. __**They**__ did this. And you have to find a way to stop them. _

"I can't," she said, reaching out for Hayden's hand, but not able to hold anything but the empty air. "Don't leave me here."

_We'll always be here, Sadie. When you need us, we'll come._

"I need you now," Sadie screamed. "Stay! Stay!"

But they were already gone.

2.

Marko stood outside the cave entrance with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. He watched as David carried Sadie out of the cave, her body limp in his arms. After screaming for ten minutes and clinging to her best friends' dead body, she simply passed out. It had already been decided that the cave was not the safest place for Sadie to turn. She would need to be watched closely, and restrained during the day, considering she was there against her will. As long as no human blood passed through her lips, the sun would not keep her from leaving. So, Marko would take her to Max's second home, deep in the woods and hidden beneath the ground. Sadie would complete her turn there.

"Why do I have to do this?" Marko asked as David passed Sadie into his arms.

David let out a deep chuckle. "Oh, you don't want her anymore?"

"She just watched me eat her best friend. Somehow, I don't think we're just going to pick up where we left off."

David reached out and tucked a strand of Sadie's hair behind her ear. He was in awe of how innocent she looked, considering there was now a monster slumbering inside her, a monster he would never let reach the surface. "You chose her," David said, lifting a cold gaze to Marko's eyes. "If you want, I'll stay with her. I would love to ride the turn with her. To see what she becomes with our blood."

Marko shifted Sadie in his arms and smirked at David. "It's too bad Max chose me then. Guess you'll have to wait this one out."

"Touché," David smiled.

"I thought we were just going to drink from this bitch?" Paul asked, lighting a cigarette as he stepped out of the cave. "Although, for the record, if all her blood is going to give me is hallucinations I think I'll pass. I had enough bad acid trips in the sixties to last forever."

Marko and David both laughed. "She's got to complete the change," David said, throwing an arm around Paul's shoulder. "Then we'll all drink from her."

"And you discussed this with Max?" Marko asked. "I'm not about to crack open his Peanut without permission."

Dwayne stepped out of the cave. "I second that."

David rolled his eyes. "Do you want this permission in writing?"

"That would help," Marko grinned.

David made his face like stone, but soon the corners of his lips were pulling upward into a smile. "Get the fuck out of here," he laughed and smacked Marko's arm. "We'll be by tomorrow with your dinner."

"Thanks, man." Marko gripped Sadie tighter and then lifted off into the sky.

Max's hideaway was only a mile or so from the cave. So the flight was a short one. His feet hit the ground hard and jostled Sadie in his arms. He looked down into her face to find her still asleep. He gave a sigh and set her down on the thick grass while he began the process of moving sticks and leaves away from the door in the ground. Marko dug the key out of his pocket and in less than a minute was carrying Sadie down the stairs.

Max had built the hideaway in the fifties during the height of the Cuban missile crisis. At the time anyone with the money to do so were building underground bunkers. Max, who had spent nearly seven hundred years accumulating his wealth, made sure his bunker was as luxurious as possible.

Marko used his shoulder to flip the light switch flooding the interior with light. He laid Sadie down on the leather sofa and stared at her. Part of him was furious that he was there, babysitting a fledgling that, if David had his way, would be nothing but a drinking fountain. He turned away from her and gripped his hair, taking a breath, and trying not to think about it. David was crazy if he thought Max was going to let them do anything to Sadie. This was his game really. They were just playing it.

There was a stereo set up in the corner and Marko turned it on just so he wouldn't have to listen to the silence. Aerosmith tore through the room and Marko could feel his body relaxing just a little. He left Sadie on the couch and went down the hall to the bedroom. The bed was a king sized sleigh bed, and although Marko was used to hanging from a bar in the deepest parts of the cave, he supposed this would have to do. How long had it been since he slept in an honest to god bed? He couldn't remember, but it must have been when he was still alive. When he would wake up beside Mary Ann and brush the blonde hair out of her eyes while the sunlight bathed them both in warmth.

He stepped out of the room and closed the door hard. He leaned back against the heavy frame while he took deep breaths and forced his mind to shut down the memory that was slowly forming. He hadn't thought about Mary Ann for so long. The first twenty years or so after the change he had somehow trained himself to forget her. And with every year that passed it became easier and easier. It wasn't until Sadie had come into his life that Mary Ann's memory had come with her.

Marko went back into the living room and grabbed Sadie roughly off the couch, holding her up by her arms and staring hard into her face. Her head lolled to the side. Whatever was happening to her had never happened to him. Bouts of sleepiness during the day was one thing, but to be so completely lost in slumber, was not unlike his own sleep as a full vampire. "Wake up," he hissed, shaking her hard. "Wake the fuck up, Sadie!" There was still nothing, just her limp appendages moving under his force.

The anger was bubbling again. Anger that he had been forced into this, that he had been tricked by Max just the same as Sadie. Of course Max had known that Marko would be attracted to her. He knew that whatever it was about her that had kept her mind closed to him, was the same thing that would have them all drawn to her. But Max also knew she would remind Marko of what he had lost. It was cruel in a way even he could never be.

He let go of Sadie and watched her topple to the Oriental rug beneath their feet. What would Max do if he were to drink from Sadie now? Would he destroy Marko over this girl whose only uniqueness came from her ability to shut them out? Fuck him. Marko had earned her blood, he had earned every last drop.

He slowly knelt down over her, pushing his body between her legs and turning her face to the side. That beautiful blue vein was still there, more visible then before due to the change happening within her. He traced the vein with his tongue and wondered if she would taste better with the vampiric blood now inside her. Marko had never tasted a vampire's blood besides David's. It was something Max had told them vampires didn't do. Human blood was theirs to consume and devour, but to drink or harm one of their own was an abomination. Marko smiled against her skin. To know how pissed Max would be if he saw what was about to happen made the idea all the more appealing. He shifted, his mouth salivating as he pressed the tips of his fangs against her neck. Of course he couldn't drain her, but he could drink until he had his fill. By the time she saw Max the wounds would be healed. Yes, Marko would drink, and he would savor every moment.

The tips of his fangs pierced her skin and he listened to the pop as they completely broke through. Her blood filled his mouth and his body responded with a moan. She was exquisite, the taste of her like nothing he had ever experienced. There was a static charge that moved through him as he drank, the hairs on his arms and back of his neck stood up. He pressed his body fully onto her, gripping her hair tightly in his hands. He tasted her power as sure as he felt it moving through him.

He pulled back, took in a breath and sunk his fangs into her again. Marko felt Sadie move beneath him, her arms twitching at her side as her mind tried to defend what her body did not have the strength to protect. He couldn't stop, even after he passed a point that he knew he should. Then he heard her voice whisper two words. "Mary Ann."

Marko was off her in one quick move. He stared at her with wide eyes, watching the blood dribble down her throat onto the rug. His body was trembling. Maybe he hadn't heard her say anything at all. He had imagined it, lost in the throws of the feeding. Marko could see her lips moving, her eyelids fluttering. Slowly he inched his way back to her and turned his head so that his ear hovered above her mouth. She was barely able to speak, her voice quieter then a whisper, but he heard what she said. "Mon coeur est à toi."

This time his shock kept him rooted to the spot. Over and over she whispered the words until finally he pressed his hand over her mouth. "Shut up," he hissed. He could still feel her lips moving against the palm of his hand. "Shut up, Sadie." There was a warning in his tone. A warning her slumbering ears could not hear. He put his mouth to her ear. "Don't make me kill you," he pleaded, but still he could hear the words.

"Mon coeur est à toi."

Marko scooped her into his arms, trying to ignore the tears he could feel stinging his eyes and the perspiration dotting his forehead. He took her into the bedroom and dropped her onto the bed then walked out of the room as quickly as he could, slamming the door hard behind him. He wanted to call for David. To tell him what he had done with the hopes that his sire could tell him it was nothing, and that Sadie's words were nothing too. But he couldn't bring David into it. He wasn't supposed to drink from her, not until the change was complete and David had tasted her first.

He pressed his forehead to the door. Her whisper was still calling to him, reaching slender fingers under the crack in the door. Marko slammed his hands into the wood, fury and fear sliding up from inside him. "Shut up you fucking bitch! Shut up!" He went back into the living room and sat down on the sofa, his hands over his ears, and waited for the sun to rise, drawing him into a sleep where her voice would not be able to find him.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Thanks again for all the feedback. As always I am eternally appreciative. I look forward to reading all your thoughts and insights. Also, if you haven't yet, I highly encourage you to read VeritasDuchess's story The Decadent Abandoned. It's a fantastic read! ~Stormy~ _**

1.

_Sadie was standing on a small wooden bridge over looking a vineyard. The grass was greener than green, the grapes so fat and ripe they would fall apart in your mouth. Honeymoons were supposed to be the time you took to enjoy the lover you had pledged your life to forever. This honeymoon was no different._

_She felt arms wrap around her and Marko's soft lips graze her cheek. "Let's go back to the hotel," he whispered in her ear. He glanced behind him at the carriage that was still there, hired to cart them all over the French countryside. He could see the sun turning orange as it lowered slowly behind the clouds._

_"Just a little longer," she said, laying her head back against his shoulder. She felt him sigh behind her, but knew he would stay as long as she wanted to. "How many children will we have?"_

_Marko stiffened at her words. They had just been married and were still so young. Children would be expected, of course, but he didn't want to think about that now. "As many as the fates see fit to provide us," he answered, kissing the side of her neck. He longed to get her back to the hotel and discover more of her. _

_"I hope the first is a boy," she said. "A perfect baby boy with curls like yours."_

_He turned her around and cupped her face. He wanted the conversation to end so he kissed her deeply, and spoke the words he knew she would want to hear. "I love you." And it was the truth. He loved her. But he didn't want to talk about the future. He only wanted to live in the now._

_She smiled. "__Mon coeur est à toi."_

_Marko's brows furrowed. "When did you learn French?"_

_"The kind woman at the hotel taught me a few choice words. I wanted to surprise you."_

_He pressed his lips to hers. "I don't deserve you," he said. And it was the truth. A truth he was ashamed to admit. She wasn't his first, but he had told her she was. He had told her many things about himself that were not true. _

_"You deserve more."_

_He shook his head and stared deep into her eyes. "No, don't ever think that. There is nothing in this world I could ever want more than I want you." He kissed her again, more deeply this time, then asked, "What does it mean? The words you just spoke."_

_"My heart is yours," she smiled._

_Marko pulled her closer and kissed her again with a passion as deep and hot as the sun hanging above them. Her heart was his, and whether she knew it or not, his heart would forever be hers. She would keep it clutched in her hand long after she sank beneath the water. _

2.

Sadie opened her eyes. She understood now that her dreams of Mary Ann were not dreams at all, but memories. They were Marko's memories and she had found a way inside them. It had happened on and off when she was a kid. Dreaming she was a friend of her fathers, walking through open fields in Vietnam. Sometimes she was her mother, five years old and standing over the grave of her grandmother. The dreams had not happened in years. Not until Marko showed up.

Slowly she sat up and looked around the windowless room. Where was she? This didn't feel like the cave. This place was warm and the bed beneath her was the most comfortable bed she had ever been on.

Her neck ached and when she touched it she could feel the healing puncture wounds and the blood that had dried and crusted over. She got down off the bed and walked right out the door. Sadie knew she should be afraid, fearful of this strange place and the monsters that had her, but she wasn't. The fear had been replaced with anger, and a resolve to avenge Sarah and Hayden no matter the cost.

As she stepped into the living room, Sadie stopped cold, her eyes landing on Marko as he sat on the couch reading a book. She didn't know what to do. Images of Hayden's final moments flooded her mind. She wanted to kill him. She wanted to kill them all. Sadie looked around her for a way of escape but saw no windows and no doors.

The need to turn around and go back into the room she had just left gripped her. Sadie needed to be alone and wrapped in silence. Her head was pounding, images of Sarah, Hayden and all those dead people consuming her. Again, she internally chastised herself for getting involved with Marko at all. Her actions had been so reckless and every move steered by pure impulse. So unlike the Sadie she had always been before. If only she had ignored her intrigue for him, Hayden might still be alive.

"Are you just going to stand there?" Marko asked, never taking his eyes off the book in his hands.

Sadie's entire body stiffened at the sound of Marko's voice. She could only stare at him. Sadie saw him now for what he really was. A monster inside a human shell. A killer. And now he would try and make her just like him.

"Where am I?" She didn't take a step out of the hallway, just glared at him with her hands balled into fists at her side.

"Somewhere safe," he told her in a bored tone, turning the pages and smiling at something he had just read. "How do you feel?"

"I want to see Max." She had worked it out that it was Max who had wanted her to drink the tainted wine. Somehow he was the person in charge of what happened to her. Not David and not Marko. If she could see him, look into his eyes and ask him why he had done this to her, maybe it would somehow make more sense. Of course, deep down she knew that wasn't why she wanted to see Max at all. The truth was much darker and much uglier. She wanted Max dead just like the others. And she wanted to be the one to kill him.

"Well," Marko said, setting the book aside and fixing her with his gaze. "He doesn't want to see you. Don't take it personal, _Peanut_. I didn't see Max for five years after my turn."

"What did you do with Hayden? Where is her…" The words lodged in her throat as tears welled up in her eyes. "Where is her body?"

"She's gone. In a few days she'll be just another face on a Missing Person's poster taped somewhere on the Boardwalk."

Now Sadie stepped forward, the anger moving her body like it was her puppet master. "She deserves a funeral," she spat. "Tell me what you did to her so I can at least give her that."

Marko laughed and locked his hands behind his head while his boots went up on the coffee table. "She had a funeral, Sadie. A burial at sea. And truth be told, cupcake, there wasn't that much left of her. All we gave the sharks were scraps."

She ran at him, angry tears coursing down her cheeks. Maybe the blood was making her bolder; it had certainly taken away the fear. But Marko was stronger, older, and he was ready for this confrontation. The last few hours while she slept, he had been readying himself for it.

He had his hand around her throat before she had time to blink, and pressed her back against the wall with crushing strength. "Do you wanna fight, Sadie?" he asked, his eyes glowing amber. "Because if you do, I'm game."

"Let go of me!" She clawed at his hands, her feet completely off the ground and thrashing against the wall.

Marko let out a deep laugh. "Look at you," he said amused. "I like this side of you, Sadie. I've always enjoyed it rough, but human girls are so fragile. Playing with you might be just what I need."

"Did Mary Ann like it rough?" she growled at him. Suddenly she was on the floor, holding her throat and gasping for breath. When she looked up Marko was staring down at her with wide eyes, the amber faded back to ocean blue.

"How do you know that name?"

"I don't know," she lied.

Marko stomped forward and threw his open palm against her cheek. She couldn't help but scream, more out of surprise then pain. "Tell me how you know about her?" He grabbed her by her arms, lifted her off the floor and threw her against the wall where he held her. His eyes were on fire, burning hot amber, his face shifting right in front of her. When he spoke again she saw his fangs, the sharp points glistening. "How the fuck do you know about Mary Ann?"

Sadie clenched her jaw tight. She wouldn't tell him. Next to him she was weak and defenseless. Knowing that she had been infiltrating his memories and still was, seemed her greatest weapon against him. It was all she had.

"Do you really want me to have to make this ugly?" he asked, his fingers and their sharp nails digging into her flesh. "Maybe you would like me and the boys to pay a visit to your parents?"

All of Sadie's pretenses shattered. Of course they would use her parents against her. The same way they had used Hayden. She started crying and winced as Marko held her even tighter. "I dreamed her," she said, her voice broken with sobs. "I dreamed your memories."

Marko shifted back to his human face and furrowed his brows. "How?"

"I don't know," she cried. "It's something I used to do a lot when I was a kid." She felt his grip loosen a little and the reprieve in pain allowed her to get a hold of her trembling voice. "I had dreams about Vietnam. I was there with my father. It wasn't until now that I understand they weren't dreams, but memories. I haven't done it in years."

Marko leaned into her and fixed her with a hard stare. "If you ever say that name to me again, I'll kill you. Fuck Max and fuck David. I'll drain you." She kept her eyes down and wouldn't look at him. He tipped her chin up so that she would have to look in his eyes, to see the magnitude of what he was saying. "Do you understand me?"

She nodded and wiped at her eyes. "Yes."

He took a deep breath and gave her a nod. "Good. Now come on, we have to get you cleaned up before David and the others get here." He took her by the hand and led her back down the hall to the last door on the right. It was the bathroom, complete with Max's latest home improvement, a stand up shower. "Sit down," he said, motioning to the toilet, something Max put in just for show. Like the oven and the stove which had never once been used. Everything Max surrounded himself with was designed to make him seem as human as possible. Maybe that was why he had survived for so long.

Sadie sat down and tried to steady her breathing. She was still shaking, Marko's outburst and words had left her with the fear she thought had left her. Marko wet a rag and then started to wipe at the dried blood on her neck. "Did you do this to me?" she asked, softly.

"Yes," he said, noticing that the blood had gone down the collar of her shirt. "And you're not going to tell David about it."

She looked into his face with a confused stare. "Why?"

"Because I said so," he told her bluntly. "I shouldn't… It was a mistake. I won't do it again." He set the rag on the sink and looked her in the eyes. "I didn't want this," he told her. "I didn't want to turn you."

"What did you want?" she asked softly.

Marko gave a sigh. "I wanted to know you. I wanted to know why you couldn't hear me in your head. Apparently I wasn't the only one."

"So Max is like your boss?"

Marko let out a laugh. "Boss? No. And he's not like a Father either." He searched for the words that would help her to understand. "I guess you could say he's like a Grandfather."

Sadie looked away from him and felt the tears stinging her eyes again. She still couldn't understand how Max, someone she had felt so close and connected to, could have been hiding such a dark truth. Did he care about her at all? Or was this all because she had some sort of internal blocker to their mind games.

"Take your clothes off," Marko said.

Sadie wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head. "No."

"It's not so I can do anything to you. You need to shower and wash all the blood off." Still she didn't move. Marko leaned into her so that the tip of his nose touched hers. "If I wanted to, Sadie, I could just take you. Remember that. But right now all I want you to do is get cleaned up. Now please, get in the fucking shower."

A single tear escaped the corner of her eyes. "Okay. Get out and I will."

Marko stood back amused. "I've already seen the best parts of you, baby."

"And you'll never see them again," she snapped, glaring at him. Sadie's eyes were teary, but there was still a fiery resolution reflecting in the glassy orbs.

Marko's smile faded. "We'll see," he said. He opened the bathroom door. "I'll leave clothes on the bed." He slammed the door hard behind him as he left.

3.

Marko was waiting outside for the others. He stood on top of the hidden door and tapped his feet against it nervously. What if Sadie told David that he had drank from her? What if she told Max? He would just have to make sure she understood what would happen to her and anyone she cared about if she did. So what if she had something on him, he had plenty of hers to bargain with.

Above him he heard the laughter of his pack. He looked up through the branches of the trees looking for them. A shock of platinum hair caught his eye and seconds later David, Paul and Dwayne were walking towards him with Marko's dinner in Dwayne's arms. The boy was young, maybe fourteen, with dirt smeared cheeks and threadbare clothes. Homeless kids and runaways were easy prey for the boys. They weren't immediately missed and they always followed any stranger who promised money or drugs. Plus, the young always tasted just a little better. But Marko knew no one would ever taste as good as Sadie. His stomach clenched at the thought and he wiped his mind clear of thoughts of her.

"Please," the boy was saying, looking up into Dwayne's face. "Let me go. I won't tell anyone."

"Sure thing, kid," Dwayne said, gripping the boys hair in his fist and leading him towards Marko. "Just be patient."

"Where's the princess?" David asked, lighting a smoke.

Marko looked down at the door he was standing on. "Inside."

"How are things going?"

"She's a pain in the ass," Marko said. "And she's asking to see Max."

Paul gave a little laugh. "Awe, how sweet. Already she wants her Daddy."

David took a long drag off his cigarette and blew the smoke out the side of his mouth. "Max doesn't want to see her until she's complete. And since we're going to make sure she doesn't feed, that could be a pretty long time."

Dwayne and Paul laughed, but Marko looked unconvinced. Yes, Max would wait until she was a full vampire to see her because she would be his completely at that point. If she saw him now when so much of her was still a human, her human emotions would override the vampire nature. She would hate him, and Max couldn't stand that. Still, there would come a point when they wouldn't be able to hold him off anymore. He would want to see Sadie whether she fed or not, even if it was just to force her feed himself.

"There's nothing weird that's happened to her," Marko said, chewing on his lip and hoping David couldn't see the lie. "It's a slow turn, just like ours."

David shook his head. "No, there's definitely something different in her change. You saw her back at the cave. Whatever she saw was real and it was something only she could see. Something the blood gave her."

"Maybe," Marko mumbled.

David looked to Paul. "Go get her. I'm ready to get this started."

Paul stepped toward the door and looked at Marko expectantly when he didn't step aside. Marko looked at David. "Wasn't her seeing me turn her friend into sushi enough? She already hates me, man. And I'm the one that has to stay here with her." He pointed at the crying kid in Dwayne's grasp. "Just let me feed and then I can go back to babysitting."

David's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "We have something else in mind."

Dwayne laughed and threw the kid down to the ground. "A good old fashioned hunt."

"No," Marko said fervently. "It's too soon."

David laughed. "We're not trying to teach her how to hunt. We want to show her how we do it, so she'll know we can always find her."

"So, tell her that," Marko said flatly. "She knows what we can do. We killed her best friend."

Paul crossed his arms over his chest. "This is different. Besides, when's the last time we got to chase dinner."

David fixed Marko with his eyes. "We send Sadie and the kid off together. We'll even be fair and give them a head start. If the kid makes it back to the boardwalk, he can live. And Sadie will be the one who saves him."

Marko shrugged his shoulders. "What's the point? We know we can find them both."

Dwayne gave a deep laugh. "She doesn't. She probably thinks she can outrun us. It's not like we explained how the blood works before you slipped it between her pretty lips. This will be fun."

Marko shook his head. The whole Mary Ann/Sadie thing still had him off kilter. His plan had been to spend the night interrogating her on the subject of his memories and just how long she had been a part of them. After feeding he would be even stronger, and he had no doubt that he could get Sadie to talk. He did not want to have to chase the dinner his friends were supposed to just deliver. And he certainly didn't want to go hunting Sadie, even if the idea had some appealing aspects.

He wanted her to complete the transformation so he could get back to the cave and back with his pack. Then David could do whatever he wanted. Marko had already told himself he would never drink from Sadie again, convinced that if he tasted her blood one more time, he would never be able to stop. Even standing there, hiding his guilty lips behind a gloved hand, he wanted to taste her again.

"Marko," David said, lifting his brows. "This isn't up for debate."

Marko knew there wasn't a choice in the matter. He would do whatever David wanted him to. He stepped off the door and Paul nodded his thanks before disappearing under ground. A few minutes later he returned with Sadie, her hair wet from the shower, her skin showing no signs of Marko's betrayal. She had healed, the vampire blood made sure of that.

"Good evening, Sadie," David smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Can you take me to Max?" she asked. It was obvious David was in charge of the other three, so maybe she could get somewhere with him.

He laughed and looked at Marko who rolled his eyes, as if to say, 'I told you so.' David motioned her to him. For a moment she stayed rooted, but eventually her feet moved her forward until she was staring up into David's cold blue eyes. "Max is a difficult being to understand," he told her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and ignoring how she flinched. "He doesn't want to see you until you've completed the turn."

"When will that be?"

Paul and Dwayne laughed behind her, but she kept her eyes on David. "When you kill your first human, then you'll be complete."

Sadie's eyes grew wide and she shook her head back and forth. "I can't kill anyone."

David's lips curled into a sneer. "Then I guess it will be a long wait for Max."

Paul and Dwayne continued to cackle behind her. Even David laughed looking to Marko who laughed too, if just to keep David off his back. Sadie dropped her eyes to the ground, focusing on the black tennis shoes on her feet. The moon was bright and full, a fat opal hanging above them and filtering through the tree branches. She was brought back to the present when she felt someone grabbing her arm. The boy was pleading with her, but Sadie couldn't understand what he was saying. Her hearing was tunneling in and out, picking up something else, something very far away. It took her several seconds to realize it was the sounds of the boardwalk.

"Are you even listening?" Paul asked, waving his hand in front of her face while the kid continued to cling to her.

The sounds faded until all Sadie could hear were the vampires surrounding her and the cicadas singing a late summer song. "What?" she asked.

"The kid," Paul said, pointing at the crying boy. "He's yours to save. If you accept the challenge."

Sadie looked to Marko; her first instinct was still him. "What is he talking about?"

David was the one to explain the game, though. When he finished Sadie was shaking as much as the kid clinging to her. "Make it to the boardwalk and he lives."

"What about me?" Sadie asked, ashamed that the idea of saving her own soul was more important then the hood rat next to her.

"You?" David lifted a brow. "If you make it to the boardwalk, you can see Max." He smiled as Sadie's eyes lit up. "He'll be at the store right now."

She looked down at the crying boy, his arms wrapped around her thigh, holding on to her like the life savor she was intended to be. Slowly she eyed the four vampires, still unsure of what powers they held. She knew nothing. Sadie didn't even know what she was becoming, but she believed the answers were with Max. She had no doubt that if she could get to him she could convince him of her loyalty. Sadie would drink every drop of knowledge he could give her about himself and the Lost Boys. And then she would destroy them all. "Okay," she said, lifting her chin defiantly. "I'll accept. But shouldn't there be rules, to make it fair."

David looked to Paul and Dwayne. They were shifting their weight from one foot to the other, trying to stave off the hunger and prepare for the hunt. Then he looked to Marko. "Marko? What should the rules be?"

Marko looked at Sadie with narrowed eyes. This was all her fault. "Give them a head start," he said, though the enthusiasm seen in the others eyes was completely absent.

David shrugged. "Seems fair. I guess you better get going, _Peanut_."

Sadie ignored the taunting and grabbed the boy by his arm. Without a second glance behind her she began dragging him deeper into the woods. She could see through the darkness in a way she never could before. When they had been walking for a good ten minutes she stopped and turned to him.

"You have to stop crying," she snapped. "It won't be much of a chase if they can hear us."

The kid gave a hiccup and struggled to pull it together. "Please," he whispered. "Don't let them kill me."

Sadie looked deep into his eyes. It wasn't her intention to lie to him. She had no idea if he would survive the night. "I'll try," was all she could manage. "But you have to help me by being quiet."

He nodded and took a deep breath, his chest puffing out with determination. "What's your name?" he asked her.

"Sadie."

"I'm Trent." He held his hand out to her and she shook it. When he intertwined his fingers with hers she didn't pull away.

"Okay, Trent. Let's go."


	13. Chapter 13

**_Thank you again for all the feedback! It's so appreciated and honestly does help in the motivation to continue onward with the story. Just a heads up that there is some pretty graphic violence in this chapter. ~Stormy~_**

1.

Sadie was feeling the effects of the time she had been without food. She had drunk handfuls of water from the sink after her shower, but her body needed more. The hunger she felt was more than just a clinching pain in her stomach, it was a burden she was carrying with her. There were times when all she could focus on was her body's demands of nourishment.

"Why don't we just fly to the boardwalk?" Trent whispered beside her.

"I can't fly," she said with a little laugh.

"But you're like them aren't you? And they can fly."

Sadie focused on the trees ahead, able to see the low hanging branches before they became a threat. "I'm not like them," she told him. "Not at all."

"So you're like me then?"

Sadie looked back at him. "No," she said. "I'm not like you."

Trent could feel that the conversation was over. He only nodded and let his curiosity about Sadie and just how she fit in with the monsters who took him stay hidden in his head.

Sadie stopped suddenly, that feeling she was not alone flooded her. She looked to her right and saw Sarah. "You're here," she said, her lips parting into a smile. Trent had stopped behind her, desperately trying to find who Sadie was talking to.

_Yes, Sadie. I'm here. You can't save the boy if he stays with you._

"I'm his only chance."

_No, they will find you. They are already close. Your blood is linked with theirs. They will always find you. He has to go on his own. That's how you save him._

"I have to get to the boardwalk," Sadie said, tears teetering on the edge of her eyelids. "I have to get to Max."

Sarah shook her head._ No, you'll never make it. Save the boy, Sadie. That is how you are different from them. _

Sadie closed her eyes, the tears falling down her cheeks. When she opened them Sarah was gone. She let Sarah's words sink in, embedding themselves deep into the marrow of her bones. It made sense. Their blood was a part of her now and she knew it was a connection that could not be severed. But Trent was not attached to them. It was his scent they would track. A foul odor caught her attention. Sadie sniffed at the air, aware that like her eyes and ears, her sense of smell had also become highly attuned. Trent watched her with terrified eyes as she followed the stench to the carcass of a dead deer under the branches of a tree. Some animal had already taken the doe down and left an ugly scene behind. If she could mask Trent's scent, she could save him. The boys would follow her, thinking the whole time that the kid was with her.

"Come here," she said, motioning Trent to her. He approached on unsteady feet. "You can't stay with me," she told him gently. "They can find me, and if they find me, they find you." When Trent started to cry she took hold of his arms and looked him straight in the eye. "You're going to be okay. You just have to trust me and do what I say."

Knowing he had no other choice, Trent nodded, wiping at the tears on his cheeks. Sadie knelt down next to the dead deer and tried desperately to ignore how her stomach growled and longed for the raw meat in front of her. She stuffed her hands into the gaping wound of the doe's midsection. When she stood up and turned back to Trent her arms were covered in blood and pieces of flesh. Sadie didn't tell him her plan, just started to smear the blood onto his clothes and skin. When she was finished he looked like the unfortunate victim of a slasher movie. But she knew he would be safe.

"Don't try and make it back to the boardwalk tonight. When the sun comes up you can go, and when you get there you take a bus back home. Don't ever come back to Santa Carla, do you understand?"

Trent nodded, trying to hold in the nausea the smell of rotting deer meat was invoking. "What do I do till morning?"

Sadie pointed at the doe. "Lie down beside that. I'll cover you in sticks and leaves. Even if you see them you don't move from this spot."

"Okay," he said, willing to do whatever Sadie wanted him to.

She quickly covered him with debris and wished him luck. As she was about to walk away Trent grabbed her wrist stopping her. "Thank you, Sadie."

She gave a soft nod. "Don't ever come back."

2.

The slow and careful walk she had been using was replaced with a run as she sprinted into the trees and away from Trent. The deer blood was sticky on her hands, pieces of fleshy tissue caught under her nails. When she stumbled onto a small creek she took the time to clean herself up.

The moon, which had started out so big and bright, had become eclipsed by a thickening of clouds. Sadie could sense the subtle change in temperature followed by a hard gust of wind. A storm was brewing. If the boys were close she couldn't feel them. Would she even be able to sense them like they could her? Or would that only be a possibility after she was a real vampire. She looked up, her eyes scanning each patch of sky, looking for them.

Sadie had no idea how long she had been walking, but the hunger inside her was growing more persistent. She didn't crave something that walked upright on two legs. Odd as it was she really wanted a burger from Better Burgers on the boardwalk. Of course, she would have to order it rare. That was what her body was telling her anyway.

Time moved forward and Sadie couldn't help but wonder why they hadn't shown themselves to her. If what Sarah said was true and they could find her wherever she went, then why drag this out? Deep down she knew why. Because they were monsters, evil, and they wanted to torment her. She came to a hill covered in loose gravel and weeds growing wild. It dawned on her that she had run in the opposite direction of where she knew the boardwalk would be. Sadie had done it to draw the boys as far away from Trent as possible, even if that meant sacrificing herself and losing her chance to face Max.

The hunger was slowing her down and the hill had become a dead end. She could turn around and head back into the woods, or take a chance and see what was waiting for her up top. Gathering whatever energy she had left, Sadie started up the hill, falling several times when her weakened legs simply gave up on her. When she finally managed to make it to the top she was standing on a train trestle. There was a sense of familiarity about it, as though she had been there before. Sadie looked to her right to see the tracks reaching far into the darkness. It was the same to her left. Without giving her next move much thought, Sadie turned to her right and looked down at her shoes as they took one step and then another, until she could see through the slats of wood to the thick soupy fog below.

She glanced over the edge and felt her stomach flip. There was no way to gage how far off the ground she was. The fog was almost unnatural in its swirl, but there was a sense of inviting with it. An unnatural call seemed to seep up through the fog and tempt her to dive right in. Then her ears caught the sound of shifting rocks and she smelled Marko's scent. She wanted to turn around, but she couldn't. He invoked a fear in her now that could not be suppressed.

"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, and each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor." He laughed under his breath as he slowly made his way toward her, Poe's Raven dripped off his tongue as his boots hit the wooden tracks. "Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; 'tis the wind and nothing more."

Sadie slowly turned over her shoulder, her tear filled eyes meeting his blue orbs. She knew that if he had wanted to kill her, if any of them had really wanted to kill her, she would be dead. Max wanted her alive, in some sense, and Marko could not really hurt her. But as he continued to advance toward her she began to tremble, the fear like icy fingers down her spine. Quickly, she turned away from him and started to move down the tracks, arms held up at her side as she tried to keep her balance. She glanced back once to find him standing with his arms crossed, a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. When she turned back around it was to find David standing inches in front of her. A scream tore from her throat and she lost her balance, falling back onto the tracks and smacking her head against the wood. For a moment she could focus on nothing but the sharp throb in her head, until finally she forced herself to sit up. Her eyes scanned the darkness, but saw nothing. No Marko. No David. No Dwayne or Paul.

She carefully got to her feet. The moon was gone, enveloped by the clouds. The only light the sky provided her now was in the form of lightning. The first drops of rain fell and seconds later it began to pour. Sadie squinted into the rain, still looking for the monsters hunting her. "Come back and get me you fucking cowards!" she screamed into the wind, wiping the hair out of her eyes as it stuck to her wet skin.

Laughter began to rise up from beneath her feet. It was coming from the fog below the train trestle. She got down on her hands and knees, peering over the side of the tracks, trying like hell to see where they were. Sadie saw nothing, only heard the laughter as it grew louder. "Fuck you!" She screamed, tears now mixing with the rain on her cheeks. This was a game to them. She may not be able to win, but she would play, and she would give them a chase if that's what they really wanted.

Something in the distance caught her ear, and she could feel the tracks beneath her begin to hum. She turned her head sharply to the right and saw the ghostly light in the distance coming closer. The train called as it barreled forward and Sadie's eyes grew wide. "Shit," she said, trying to get to her feet. Just as she was about to head toward her left, to the end of the tracks and safety, a hand reached up from between the wood slats and grabbed hold of her ankle. She fell forward with a scream, looking back at that white hand with the talon like nails holding tight to her. Her eyes lifted to the train, its shape becoming more pronounced as it came faster. "Let go!" she shrieked, giving one hard yank and feeling the hand slip away.

Not even bothering to look back she struggled to her feet and was running, her blurry eyes trying to see the tracks beneath her. The toe of her tennis shoe caught between the slats and she careened forward, her wrists catching the weight of her fall and Sadie heard the crack as one fractured. The train whistle announced its impending arrival, and with a deep breath Sadie fought through the pain and found her footing once more.

She limped toward the end of the tracks clutching her injured wrist to her chest. Her feet came to a halt as she eyed the three human shapes in the distance. They were obscured by the driving rain, but she knew who and what they were. Sadie looked back, the light from the train momentarily blinding her. The three vampires at the end of the tracks laughed at her as she stared from one horrific end to the other. But why was she running? This would be the easiest way to end everything. She would be with Sarah again, with Hayden. Sadie dropped her hands to her side, determined not to run to them. Her stomach was still growling, demanding that one thing she knew she could never give it, but was unsure how long she would be able to deny. No, this was the only way to stop the monster inside her. To keep it from surfacing and turning her into one of them. She closed her eyes and waited, the train growing louder with every second.

Something hit her in the back and arms were suddenly wrapped around her. Her eyes shot open as she kicked her legs out trying to get free. "It's not that easy, Sadie," Marko growled in her ear. He lifted her off the tracks and with a strength no human man could ever possess, threw her over the side into the fog.

She screamed as she fell, the fog encircling her as gravity pulled her down. Somewhere, entwined with the fog now cradling her, she heard Marko's voice overlapping with the others laughter.

"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor, shall be lifted – nevermore."

3.

When Sadie opened her eyes she was staring at the ceiling, lying on the bed she had woke up in the night before. She tried to sit up but was stopped by a pull in her arms. Her wrists had been tied to the headboard and when she glanced down at her feet she saw her ankles tied in the same way. The hunger pangs had reached a point that was excruciating. She felt tears fall down her cheeks, memories of the train and the fog coming back to her in flashes.

_You did so good, Sadie. _

Sadie turned her tired eyes in the direction of the sweet voice talking to her and smiled when she saw Hayden sitting on the end of the bed. "I miss you so much, Hay."

_I miss you too. But I'm okay now. And you know what? Trent made it, Sadie. He's on a bus back to Oklahoma right now._

Sadie felt her parched lips spread apart into a smile. There was a feeling of accomplishment in knowing that she had saved Trent's life. It was also a feeling of happiness. Knowing that even though they had tainted her blood with a killer's gene, she had risen above it. "I'm so hungry, Hay. I'm so hungry and tired."

_I know, Sadie. He's punishing you for outsmarting them. _

The sound of footsteps in the hallway crept under the crack in the door and both Sadie and Hayden's eyes followed the sound. Sadie could feel herself trembling and she pulled at the ropes binding her in a fruitless attempt to free herself. She shut her eyes tight and clenched her teeth as the pain inside her began to multiply, spreading out from her stomach to the rest of her. When she opened her eyes Hayden was hovering above her.

_You can do this, sweetie. You can survive this and still stay who you are. Be strong and use your gift._

Sadie tried to speak but pain as sharp as a knife dug through her and the only sound that came out of her mouth was a scream. She bit down hard into her lip, her body rising up off the bed as her arms and legs tried desperately to break free of their bonds. The pain slowly began to recede until it was just a dull throb. When she opened her eyes Hayden was gone, but Sadie was not alone. Marko stood in the open doorway, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk on his lips.

"It hurts doesn't it?" he asked. "I remember. Do you want me to make it better?"

Sadie let out a defeated sob. "Yes," she cried, as another sharp jab tore through her.

Marko turned around and walked away. A few minutes later he returned holding a brown paper bag from Better Burgers. Sadie nearly screamed with happiness as the aroma hit her. She kept pulling at the ropes, trying to reach for the paper sack that held what she so desperately needed to make the pain stop. Marko set the bag on the nightstand next to the bed, laughing softly to himself as Sadie's teary eyes stared at the sack with longing. He sat down beside her and started to run his hands along her face gently.

"I don't know how you did it, Sadie. Letting that kid get away. David was shocked as shit." He let his thumb ghost over her bottom lip, loving the way she recoiled into the mattress, desperate to escape his touch. "But I wasn't," he said softly, his hand dipping lower to caress her neck. "I tasted it in your blood. You really are special."

Another wave of pain rolled through Sadie and she pressed her head back into the pillow with a moan. "Please," she breathed, the ache stealing the strength of her voice. "Let me eat. Make the pain stop."

He smiled down on her sweetly, leaning forward to press his lips against her tear stained cheeks. "Of course, Sadie. But first things first." He got up and left the room, when he returned he was holding a young girl in his arms. She had been gagged and her arms bound behind her. Her frightened eyes locked on Sadie. "This is Carolyn," Marko said, tossing the girl onto the end of the bed between Sadie's tied ankles. "She's fourteen, in the 9th grade and wants to be a ballerina when she grows up." His eyes met Sadie's. "Of course, thanks to you, she'll never get the chance."

"What are you doing?" Sadie breathed.

"You lost my dinner," he snapped at her. "And so I had to go find a replacement. You could have just let me have that little street rat but instead I'm going to indulge in the finest cuisine Santa Carla has to offer." He leaned forward so he could speak directly to Carolyn. "Are you a virgin, Carolyn?" Marko laughed as she began to scream into the gag. "I only ask because virgins taste so much better."

"Stop it, Marko, please." Sadie could feel the girl's terror. It was a living entity all its own. "Let her go. I'm sorry."

He gripped the back of Carolyn's head; fist fulls of blonde hair clutched tight, and lifted her face so her eyes were on Sadie. "Apologize to her," he snarled. "You're the reason she's going to die. And you know, I could make it painless. But I won't. I'm going to make it as painful as possible and you're going to watch."

Sadie shook her head, pleading eyes locked on his face. "Don't! Please, what do you want me to do? I'll do it! Just don't hurt this girl."

Marko dragged Carolyn to the side of the bed and shoved her face directly over Sadie's. Carolyn's tears dripped down onto Sadie's cheeks and her pained whimpers echoed in Sadie's ears. "Tell her," Marko growled. "Tell sweet Carolyn how sorry you are."

Sadie looked up into his eyes. "Don't do this. _Please_."

"Tell her," Marko growled. "So she knows who is really killing her."

"I'm sorry," Sadie sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Marko laughed, then shifted into the monster that Sadie knew was his true identity. He pulled Carolyn's head back, the tiny slender veins in her neck straining, and ground his fangs into her with a ferocious growl. Blood sprayed outward and coated Sadie's face like warm rain. She continued to pull at the ropes, trying so desperately to not be there in that moment. To not watch this girl die because of her.

Carolyn screamed behind her gag, blood dribbling from the corners of her lips. Sadie screamed with her, their combined chorus of terror was music to Marko's ears. He flipped the girl onto her back, the pressure of his body over hers made her shoulders snap and break from the awkward way she fell. Her head was lying on Sadie's chest, her blood coating both Sadie and the bed she laid on. Marko tore the girls shirt open and sank his fangs into the fleshy top of her right breast.

Somehow Carolyn managed to get the gag out of her mouth. Sadie watched in horror as blood spilled from between the girls lips, her voice as she tried to speak was a gurgle of jumbled pleas.

Marko tore his mouth away from Carolyn and fixed his amber eyes on Sadie. "This," he hissed at her, "is how it should have ended for you." He dropped his fangs to the center of Carolyn's throat and tore away a huge chunk of flesh, leaving only a gaping dark hole. Sadie watched as the girls eyes stared unblinking at the ceiling. Her mouth hung open, white teeth now stained pink, and Sadie knew she was gone. A moment later she caught a glimpse of Carolyn in the corner of the room standing next to Hayden.

"I'm sorry!" Sadie screamed, Carolyn's blood all over her. "I'm so sorry."

Hayden took Carolyn's hand and within the span of a heartbeat they were gone.

"Save your breath," Marko said, his face back to the human shape he wore so well. "She can't hear you anymore." He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand and tossed Carolyn's dead body onto the floor. His eyes narrowed on Sadie. "This is what will happen to everyone you love if you ever fuck with us like that again."

Sadie looked up at him with defeat. "I hate you."

Marko lifted his bloody fingers to his lips and licked them with a smile. "Girl, I'm your best friend in the whole fucking world right now."

She turned her head away from him, the hunger pains stronger then ever. Sadie wanted to hide it from him, but her muscles twitched involuntarily and the painful cries she tried to hold in escaped her lips before she could pull them back in. Carolyn's blood had gotten in Sadie's mouth and she was ashamed of how it had made her feel. There was a moment when she wanted to be partaking of that red elixir with him. Marko sat down next to her on the blood soaked mattress and reached up to untie her wrists. Her arms collapsed beside her and she let out a sigh. The ropes had burned two perfect red circles against her skin, but Sadie knew now that they would heal quickly overnight.

Marko grabbed the sack of burgers off the night stand and tossed them to her. "They're rare," he told her. "Just the way I know you'll like them." He gave a little chuckle and started to work on the ropes around her ankles while she tore into the sack and began stuffing pieces of bread and nearly raw meat into her mouth. The pain started to subside almost immediately. "After that I'll take you to the shower. And this time when I tell you to strip, you're going to do it like a good girl."

Sadie opened her mouth in preparation to protest but shut it when she realized there was no room to argue or fight. He was stronger, and as he had just proved, would torture others to punish her. "Yes," she whispered. Was this what Max had wanted for her?

Marko smiled at her. He had found her ultimate weakness and now he knew he could get her to do whatever his little black heart desired.

3.

Max sat back in his chair, his eyes blurring a little as he focused on the bookshelves that surrounded him. He missed Sadie. He hated that he had to do this in a way she wouldn't understand until she had become complete, but he knew this was how it had to be. It had been so long since he had experienced his own turn that he didn't even feel he could fully sympathize with her.

He'd told Maria that Sadie quit, too distraught over the disappearance of her ex boyfriend and Hayden. She questioned him over and over, wanting a number to call Sadie, an address to visit, but he simply told her Sadie wanted privacy and time alone to grieve. Max let Maria hire a replacement for Sadie and promoted her. A little extra cash on the paycheck soon had the questions stop coming. He knew that for Maria money was everything. That was only one of the reasons why he would never have chosen her for his family. Sadie on the other hand was everything a father could want in a daughter. He just needed to be patient and wait for her to come to him.

"She's having hunger pains," David said, stepping into the room and pulling a cigarette from behind his ear. "But all she seems to want is burgers." He shrugged his shoulders and lit the cigarette.

Max gave a sigh. "She'll fight the urge," he said, taking his glasses off and setting them on the desk. "Her will power is strong. But eventually, she'll give in." He leaned back in his chair. "Is she comfortable? Has she asked for me?"

"Nope," said David as he walked over to the bookshelf where the framed pictures of past decades were held. "She hasn't asked for you once. I wouldn't take it personal. As far as being comfortable, I promise we are treating her with the utmost respect." He gave a little laugh. "Anyway, now that she's on her way to being one of us, what about Marko?"

"What about him?"

David turned over his shoulder. "You promised if he could get her in, you would let him have her."

"I did. Are you questioning my word, David?"

David chuckled. "Not at all. I'm just wondering if the idea of Marko banging your sweet little Peanut is going to sit so well with you after she's fed."

Max rolled his eyes. "Somehow I doubt Sadie is going to feel the same way for Marko that she once did."

David took a drag off his cigarette. "Does that matter? A promise is a promise. You said he could have her."

Max's eyes narrowed. "What are you suggesting? Are you saying that I should let Marko rape her if that's what he wants, because as you say, a promise is a promise." He shook his head with disappointment. "David, we are an evolved species. We are not animals."

David lifted his brow. "Well, it seems only fair he should get something out of this. He's locked down there in your hidey hole babysitting while the rest of us are out enjoying our lives."

"She's going to be a part of our family, David. I didn't choose her so you and the boys could have a plaything."

David dropped his cigarette to the floor and used the toe of his boot to grind it into the hardwood. "She hates you, Max. Don't fool yourself into thinking she doesn't know who really did this to her."

Max stood from his chair and glared hard at David. "Sadie is mine. I chose her and I have sired her. I let you sire the boys because it was my gift to you. They are yours, but she will be mine. Marko has no claim and neither do you."

David let his head fall back as a roar of laughter escaped him. "Actually, there's something about that you should know."

"And what is that?"

"We didn't give her your blood, Max. It was Marko's. And while your blood is a part of her, _he_ is her sire."

Max took a step back and nearly fell in his chair. "You intolerable brat!" he spat, running his hands through his hair. "Do you even know what you have done?"

"Yes," David said with a smirk. "I added a beautiful new addition to _my_ pack. And I gave Marko back his Mary Ann. That was _my_ gift to him."

"I should destroy you for this," Max growled.

David laughed and turned for the door. "But you won't. We don't kill our own, remember? Face it old man, this pack doesn't need a Daddy anymore. We're big boys and we make our own decisions."

Max started toward David, whose smugness was erased with a respectful fear. "Get out," he said. "And don't come back until my daughter is complete. Don't come to me for anything, do you understand? Let's see how well you and your pack of miscreants do without me."

David looked afraid for only a moment, but the fear was replaced with the arrogance that suited him best. "Until we meet again," he said with a bow of his head. He left the room and laughed all the way to the front door. Soon Sadie would be ready to taste and he could already imagine the power she would give him. With Max out of the picture for now, David knew he had nothing to worry about.

_**Let me know what you think :)**_


	14. Chapter 14

**_Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time to leave me your thoughts. There are times when I contemplate just giving up on this story but then I read your feedback and am reenergized to continue onward! So thank you! ~Stormy~_**

1.

The night was almost over and dawn was creeping around the corner when David, Paul and Dwayne made their way back to the cave. Paul and Dwayne had waited outside Max's house when David went inside to talk. When he emerged ten minutes later it was with a victorious smile. He told them that Max knew the truth about Sadie and the blood she had drank. They didn't speak of it again until getting to the cave.

"Are you going to tell Marko?" Paul asked.

David furrowed his brows with a laugh. "Why would I do that?"

"He's her sire," Paul said, confused. "Won't he figure it out?"

David took off his outer trench coat and tossed it onto one of the sofas. "I told you, Paul. The sire doesn't feel the full connection until the childe has fed. The whole point of all of this is to keep Sadie from ever feeding. As long as she remains only half, we can control every aspect of her life."

Dwayne sat down on one of the sofas with a huff. He glared up at David but didn't say a word.

"You have something you need to get off your chest?" David asked, his eyes inviting a challenge.

Dwayne looked to Paul who shook his head with wide eyes, silent encouragement to let the matter go. Dwayne looked to David and sighed. "It's not right, man. He should know."

"And he will," said David. "When I think the time is right. She's only half way through the turn. Once she's finished we'll bring them both back to the cave, open up Sadie like a beer tap and see what happens."

Dwayne sat forward on his knees. "It's not right, David. He thinks she's Max's. Marko should know Sadie is his. I mean, didn't you do it in part to make up for that wife he had? The one that offed herself."

David walked slowly toward Dwayne and looked down on him with eyes that said the matter was closed. "I'm _your_ sire," he said, his voice hard and cold. "You remember that. If either of you say a word to Marko about that little bitch I'll make you wish you hadn't." He looked back at Paul who held up both hands to signify he had no intention of doing anything that would go against David. "Do you understand, Dwayne?"

Dwayne held David's stare, but eventually he had to look away. "Yeah, man. I get it."

"Good," David said with a smile. "Now, let's get some sleep."

2.

Sadie opened her eyes and forced them to remain that way. She had never felt so tired, her entire body fighting against the need to sleep. She turned to her right and saw Marko lying next to her, his hands crossed over his unmoving chest. It took everything she had to sit up, and as soon as she did, she could feel an unnatural gravity pulling her back down. Sadie dug her hands into the sheets and used all her strength to throw her legs over the side of the mattress. Her stomach was rumbling again, a slight ache she knew would become unbearable before long.

Glancing back at Marko she waited for him to open his eyes, to yell and scream at her, but he continued to lay there. It was a shock to see him look so sweet and innocent; the curls on his head and the cherubic face were all such a lie to the monster that lived inside him. She thought back to the first time she saw him in the store, the way her eyes were drawn to that face. It made her hate him all the more. With renewed strength she forced herself to stand, wobbling all the way to the door and using the door frame as leverage to get her out into the hall. The dull ache was becoming more persistent and Sadie had to take deep breaths to keep herself from moaning.

It took five minutes to get to the living room where she collapsed onto the sofa in frustrated tears. Not willing to give up, it took another five minutes to make the three steps into the small kitchen. When she grabbed hold of the refrigerator door it opened and the smell of raw hamburger meat hit her with a force that was overwhelming. She slid down to her knees and reached for the packaged meat, using her nails to tear away the plastic. Within seconds she was scooping the meat into her mouth, moaning with gratitude until the only thing left was bloody fluid coating the Styrofoam. Her brain told her to lick it, to not let one drop go to waste. She stared at it then began tearing the Styrofoam into pieces, eliminating the temptation all together.

It was amazing the strength she got from eating. She was still sleepy, but was able to stand up and walk around without falling over. A few cups of water later and she was feeling almost like her old self again. Quietly she moved around the small space, going up the short staircase that led to the door she couldn't get open. She slammed her palm against it hard and grit her teeth as she exhaled in frustrated anger. Sadie had to get out of there. The sun wasn't going to kill her, not yet anyway. She would be the same old Sadie, albeit with a few extra additives, until she killed a human. And that was something she knew she would never allow herself to do.

Hayden deserved more than to be forgotten, and the Frog brothers were her family. She had to get out and find her way to the boardwalk. Not only so they would know their cousins fate, and how sorry Sadie was, but because they were the only ones who could tell her the truth about what she was and the ways in which she could stop Max and the Lost Boys from ever hurting anyone again.

Sadie eyed the lock on the door. She needed the key and she knew just where it would be.

With no windows and no clock, Sadie had no way to tell the time. She assumed because of Marko's deep sleep that the sun was still up, but for how long? It didn't matter. She had to try and find that key and get the hell out of that pit while she had the energy to do so.

She walked quietly into the bedroom and stood next to the bed, staring down at Marko, looking for any signs of life. There was nothing, and so she took her hand and laid it over his. He didn't move and taking a deep breath for courage, Sadie ran her hands down his chest to the pocket of his jeans. She carefully slipped her fingers inside, biting her lip; afraid she was making too much movement. The pocket was empty so she reached across him and tried the next, all the while keeping her eyes on his face. Her fingertip brushed against something cool and metal. She nearly screamed in elation as she withdrew a small brass key.

Slowly she backed away from the bed and out the doorway, clutching the key so tightly in her hand she could feel the grooves making indention's in her skin. Once she was in the living room she ran for the stairs. The adrenaline was making her shake, and more than once she dropped the key and had to start over. It took maybe a minute to get the door open, but it felt like an eternity. She was up the stairs and outside before her brain had time to register the action. Her brows furrowed in confusion. The sky was an iridescent blue, a color that signified the end of the day and the first few minutes of night. She looked up into the sky and could see a few stars twinkling above her. When the realization that she had been tricked hit her, she knew it was already too late. She swung around and was met with Marko's grinning face.

"Going somewhere, Peanut?"

She thought about lying, but what was the point? "I have to get out of here," she told him. "I'm going crazy."

Marko held out his hand to her. "Give me the key."

Sadie dug her eyes into him, trying to reach the Marko she had thought she knew. "Please, just take me to the boardwalk."

"Give-me-the-fucking-key."

Sadie bowed a defeated head and dropped the key into his open palm. He grabbed her roughly by the arm and dragged her back down the stairs, tossing her onto the sofa and stuffing the key back into his pocket. When he looked down at her she was trying not to cry.

"He doesn't want to see you," he said, his voice firm.

"It's not even about Max," Sadie looked up at him. "I have to get out of here, even if it's just for a few hours. What's the big deal anyway? You can find me no matter where I go."

"Do you even know what's happening to you?" Marko asked. "You think you're the same person you were before you drank the blood, but you're not! When you complete the turn, we'll go back to the cave. Then maybe we can talk about going other places."

Sadie crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "This is bullshit," she said, still trying to hold back the tears. She had been so close. How stupid of her to think he would have left her in any position to get away.

"You're telling me," Marko mumbled as he headed into the kitchen. He saw the torn pieces of Styrofoam scattered on the floor and looked back at her. "Do you think this is fun for me?"

She raised a brow. "Isn't it?"

He opened one of the cabinets and removed a small sterling silver flask. He opened it and took a swig, wincing as the blood slid down his throat. Marko hated that he was being forced to feed this way. The blood was cool and lumpy from the time it spent coagulating. David had promised to come by that night and relieve him for a few hours so Marko could hunt with Paul and Dwayne. Part of him was aching to get the hell out of there, but the other part was not sure he wanted to leave Sadie with David. He was torn on why exactly. Was it because he feared she would tell him Marko had drank from her, or because he was worried about what David might do to her. When the flask was empty he threw it into the sink with a hard clank. Sadie flinched on the couch.

"No," he finally said, fixing his eyes on her. "This isn't fun for me."

"Then why…" she couldn't complete the question, but she didn't have to. Marko already knew what she was going to say.

"I didn't know Max wanted to turn you. Not until after we had already started talking. But he knew I would be drawn to you." He walked over to the sofa and sat down next to her. "He knew you would be drawn to me."

Sadie was weary of this side of Marko. The calm, almost serene, guy who looked at her like she was something more than just a science project. But she could feel his openness and wanted to take advantage of it. "How did he know that?"

"Because I can't get inside your head."

Sadie looked down at her hands. There was a sting of rejection that hit her and she hated the feeling. She didn't want to care that Marko's attraction to her had only been based on some freak ability she possessed. She didn't want to feel hurt that it had not been something else, something like she had felt for him.

"And because of Mary Ann," he said suddenly.

Sadie looked up at him with surprise. He had told her he would kill her if she ever mentioned the name, and here he was bringing her up. "Do I remind you of her?"

Marko leaned back into the sofa. He wasn't sure why he had even told her the truth, but some part of him felt he owed it to her. Marko had stolen many lives during his immortal existence. He had killed with no thought about the person whose blood he was taking or their lives outside his own primal need. But Sadie was different. He wasn't just ending her life; he was leading her into a hell David was setting up for her. The truth was the only thing he had to make him feel even a little better about the whole thing. "You don't look like her," he told her. "But you're strong like she was."

"Did you love her a lot?"

Marko looked down at his hands. "I loved her as much as I could." He lifted his eyes back to Sadie's face. "But I wasn't very good at love." There was a feeling of relief that moved through Marko. He hadn't spoken about Mary Ann or his life before the darkness in so long, and suddenly, he was desperate to release all the memories. If only to lose even a part of the leftover guilt he carried with him. Sadie looked at him with eyes that begged to know all the answers, but was too afraid to ask. He cast his gaze around the room, to the painting hanging on the wall of the castle Max had lived in once upon a time.

"I thought I wanted to be married," he said, his voice softening as his mind sped backward to that life he could hardly remember. "And when we came back from our honeymoon in France I was ready to be a good husband. But as soon as we had our own house and she started talking about children, I knew I didn't really want any of it. I wanted her, but I didn't want that life. When she became pregnant I started to stay out all night long. I'd go to bars and drink till they kicked me out and then I'd roam the streets until the sun came up. It was just too hard to be with her and see her getting bigger and bigger. Knowing that when that baby was born my life, the life I wanted, would be over."

Sadie was soaking in every word he spoke. She could tell he was debating whether to keep going, or to leave it as is. She didn't want him to stop. Her body was thirsting for knowledge like he was thirsting for her blood. She surprised them both when she placed her hand over his. "What happened to your baby?"

"He died. I wasn't there when he was born. I had gone out drinking and ended up with some girl in an alley behind our home."

Sadie withdrew her hand. The way he said the words made her entire body feel cold. There was no remorse in his voice for the child who had died. His child. "I don't think we should talk about this anymore."

Marko laughed. "Why? Because you imagined that before I became a vampire I was some sweetheart with a wife and kids I adored? I loved Mary Ann, I did. I wanted her with me forever, but she made her choice."

"Some choice," Sadie said without thinking. "Be a killer or drown yourself in a lake. Obviously she made the right decision." As soon as she finished the sentence she regretted it. She felt Marko stiffen beside her and she was trying to get up off the couch when he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down.

"Were those the memories you dreamed?" he asked, his eyes changing slowly into the amber she feared.

"Yes."

He pulled her into him so that his face was inches from hers. Damn him for letting his guard down and allowing her in. "I don't know how you got in my head, Sadie. But if you ever do it again…" He let the words hang on the air.

She winced as his nails dug deeper into her arm. "I can't help it sometimes," she said, letting out a pained gasp when Marko grabbed the hair at the back of her head and yanked hard.

"This wasn't a bonding moment," he growled. "You aren't Mary Ann and you never will be. You were nothing but a fuck to me, Sadie." He watched as a tear trickled down her cheek and he couldn't stop himself from licking it away. "You'll always be just a fuck. You're Max's girl. You're only mine when I want to get laid."

She threw her hands into his chest and wiggled away from him. He only let go of her hair because he was afraid she might actually rip it off her head in her attempts to get free. She stood over him, huffing hard and glaring. If he looked hard enough he could see flecks of amber around the edges. "You will never be with me again. _Never_."

Marko laughed and put his feet up on the coffee table while his hands went behind his head. "Never say never, Peanut."

"Stop calling me that!" she screamed at him.

Marko smiled. He could see the subtle changes in her. Those soft blue eyes becoming hard and darkening as her chest heaved. He didn't want it to, he knew she was nothing but trouble, but she was turning him on. For the first time in a long time there was a girl that could match him, that could survive the rough touch of his nature. Marko drew his tongue over his lips. "Did I touch a nerve?" His own eyes were simmering, his shift coming closer and closer. He was ready to make his time down there worth it. What had he said to her? She was only his when he wanted to get laid. Right now it was all he wanted. Marko sat there laughing as he watched her shaking with fury.

Sadie was crying hard now but it was only because she was so angry. How was it possible that one single moment, one stupid flutter of flirtation, had changed her world so completely? She could feel the anger inside her heating up until she was sweating. The sound of her heart pounding in long, slow beats was loud in her ears. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't know how to stop it. Sadie could still hear Marko laughing on the couch, mocking her, but there was another sound rising above him until it was all she could hear. Voices were calling to her, hundreds of them, screaming and crying for help. She felt her knees buckle and she collapsed to the floor with her hands over her ears.

Marko stood up and walked over to her, amused at the childish way she tried to shut him out. "Get up, Sadie," he said, looking down on her with his Cheshire grin.

Sadie could feel her eyes burning, like a fever inside her seeping out. Her vision blurred and sweat was sliding across her skin. She wiped at her eyes, then doubled over as a wave of pain coursed through her. It wasn't like the hunger pangs she had been experiencing. This was something else. This was a pain that had no words to describe it. She collapsed to the floor, her body twitching involuntarily. The voices were coming from everywhere, above her, below her…inside her. "Help me!" she heard her own voice screaming with them. "Please," she sobbed, the heat inside her rising until she was tearing at her clothes trying to breathe.

Marko stared down at her with no idea what was happening or why. He watched as her body began a slow levitation upward. She was sweating so profusely that her hair was soaked. Suspended in mid air, Sadie continued to scream, her fingers clawing at her skin and drawing blood. "It's okay, Sadie," Marko said, not sure if that was even the truth. He reached for her, prepared to hold her even as the natural order of her change would carry her into the air. He understood that part of the turn. Marko had simply been walking with David when he found himself rising into the sky. And David had laughed as Marko yelled down at him for help. He wouldn't do that to Sadie. Suddenly her body flew across the room, slamming so hard into the wall the picture frames fell off with a crash into the floor. Sadie was next, falling on her stomach atop the broken glass.

Marko ran to her, and knelt down to carefully turn her over onto her back. She stared up into the face hovering above her, the heat and the pain consuming her. "Please," she whispered. "Marko, please help me."

He didn't know what to do. His turn hadn't been like this. Hunger pains, yes, levitation, sure, but this…It was the blood. Whatever made her different was making the turn different too. Blood had started to come from her nose, mouth and ears. The tears that streaked down her cheeks were tinged with blood too. She lifted a shaking hand and touched his face.

"Help me," she pleaded.

He didn't think about what he would do next, he just did what instinct told him to. Marko scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the bathroom. She was shaking violently, red streams slipping from both corners of her mouth. "I'm here," he told her. "Just hold on."

He kicked the door open and sat Sadie down on the toilet. If she could have seen herself, she would have seen the monster inside clawing to get out. Her eyes were glowing amber.

"It's so hot," she shrieked, her nails raking red lines across her skin.

Marko knelt down in front of her and lifted her shirt over her head, when it was off he heard her sigh with relief. He reached around and unhooked her bra, looking into her eyes waiting for her to tell him to stop. But she didn't. She honestly seemed relieved with every piece of clothing he rid her of. He started the shower, the water was cold but he knew that wouldn't matter to either of them.

He lifted her and it took several seconds to get her jeans and panties off. Her body kept twitching, and more screams were filling the air. Still fully clothed himself, Marko wrapped his arms around her waist. "Put your arms around me," he said gently.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him lead her into the shower. Another stab of pain tore through her. The scream that came out of her was one Marko had never heard before. It was the sound of not only a body dying, but a soul dying with it. She clung to him and he wrapped his arms around her, his hands supporting her head while the cold water fell over them. The voices had stopped calling to her, but it was hardly an improvement. "Please make it stop!" she pleaded. Marko could only hold her close as her body was overcome by more and more seizures. Suddenly she went still and her head dropped back. There was a peacefulness that washed over her face. The pain had stopped.

"Is it better?" he asked.

She pressed her head against his chest. "Yes. It doesn't hurt anymore."

He put his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her face to his. Her eyes were back to blue. "I think you'll be okay now. You should lie down though." She nodded, too tired and weak to argue anyway. He turned the water off and let her lean against him as he helped her back to the bedroom, grabbing a towel off the rack along the way.

Carefully he sat her down on the edge of the bed and wrapped the towel around her shoulders. "There are clothes in there," he said, pointing to the sliding doors of a closet. "Dwayne got all your stuff from the beach house." He stood up, his mind still a chaotic mass of confusion at what he had seen. For a moment there, he thought she was going to die, and he did not want to confront that part of himself that was so thankful she was still there. "The boys will be here soon. They'll have food for you." He was almost out the door when she called out to him.

"Don't leave me," she said. She couldn't be alone. Not after that. There might be an evil inside her, but Sadie was still human. And she needed someone to hold her. Even if that someone was Marko. At that moment, he was all she needed. "Stay with me."

Marko held her eyes then let his gaze drift over her. His own body was responding to the sight of her. To the feel of her wet naked skin pressed against him. "You don't really want me to," he said.

Sadie bit into her bottom lip. "Right now, I really do."

He looked down at the ground and then gave a resolved nod of his head. "All right," he said, stepping back into the bedroom and closing the door behind him. Sadie watched as he opened the closet doors and pulled a pair of sweats and a pair of panties out of a duffle bag on the floor. Then he grabbed a t-shirt and handed them to her.

"You should change too," she noted. "Your clothes are wet."

Marko looked down at his clothes. He had been so wrapped up in what was happening it hadn't even dawned on him. He lifted his shirt over his head, water glistening on his skin, and started to unbutton his jeans. He saw Sadie wrap the towel tighter around her and turn her face from him. "Sorry," he said. "I'll turn around." He wasn't sure where this chivalry bullshit was coming from. He had already seen her naked, been so deep inside her she would never lose the feel of him again, and yet he needed to appease her.

He walked to the dresser on the opposite side of the room and grabbed a change of clothes for himself. After he was dressed he heard her crying behind him. When he turned around she was looking down at the Motley Crue t-shirt she was wearing, clutching the hem in her hands and rocking gently back and forth. "What is it?" he asked.

"This is hers," she said with a sob. "This is Hayden's." When she looked up at him and their eyes met he could see the change in her so clearly it startled him. Whatever had just happened to her body had been a turning point. The innocence he had once seen in her eyes was replaced with a deep sadness. There was something else looking at him from behind her gaze, something he couldn't place. A secret she would never share. "Why?" she asked.

"What?"

"Why did you kill her? You didn't have to. You knew I would drink to save her. Why did you do it?"

Marko felt a lump in his throat. "Go to sleep," he said, heading for the door.

"No!" She jumped off the bed and slammed the door shut with her hand closing him back into the room. Sadie glared at him, even as the tears still fell down her cheeks. Hayden had been the only family she really had left. She had tried to warn Sadie and all Sadie had done was pull Hayden into a death trap. "You owe me," she spat.

"I don't owe you shit," Marko said. "I killed her because that's what I am. She didn't mean anything to me, and in time she won't mean anything to you. Face it, girl. You're like me now. I see it in your eyes and one day soon you're going to bite."

Sadie felt her lips part into a grin. "You don't really believe that," she told him. "I could never be like you. Before David turned you into this, you were already a monster. What kind of man could have no compassion for his own baby? She saw you too; she knew exactly what you were."

Marko grabbed her by the arms and squeezed tight. He knew he was hurting her but that grin never left her face, and the laughter reflected in her eyes never ceased. "We could be friends, Sadie. I could help you get through this. But if you think I won't make you shut that smart mouth of yours, you're wrong."

"She killed herself because being with you was already like being dead."

Marko slammed her back against the door and clenched his jaw. "You think Max can save you, Sadie? If that's really what you think you stupid little bitch, think again." His fangs were pressing against his gums, aching for a taste of her.

"Then kill me," she spat. "Do you think that scares me? I'm not afraid to die, Marko. That's the difference between me and you."

He grabbed her around the throat and pulled her away from the door. She was trying to push away from him but he was stronger. He always would be. Marko threw her down onto the bed and fell on top of her. "Nothing scares you, huh?" He let go of her throat and grabbed both wrists, pinning them above her head and laughing as she struggled against him. "I know that's not true."

She stared up into his face with disdain. "What do you know about me?"

"I know you like me on top of you right now. That your body wants me as bad as it wants blood. And _that_ scares the shit out of you." He laughed when he felt her still beneath him.

"Get off me," she growled.

He leaned into her neck and began to lick at her skin. "That's what really scares you," he whispered into her ear. "That you know what I am and you still want me." He ground his hips against hers and smiled against her skin as she let out a soft gasp. "Let's stop fighting," he said, moving his lips to hers. "I mean it, Sadie. I can help you get through this."

She turned her head away from him and stared at the wall. She hated him so deeply, hated everything he was saying, because deep down, she knew it was true. Sadie had wanted him before she knew the awful truth, and she wanted him still. And it really did scare her. He loosened his grip on her wrists and began planting soft kisses down the side of her neck, and god help her, she didn't want him to stop.

"Sadie, this is who you are now," he breathed against her cheek, pushing himself between her legs and aching so much for her in that moment it was making him crazy. He moaned as he felt her hips rise up to meet him. He slid his hand up her shirt, caressing the soft skin and trying again to press his lips to hers. Once more she turned her face away. Why was she denying him when he could feel how bad she wanted him? "Do you want me to say I'm sorry?"

She turned her eyes to his face. "What would be the point?"

"You're one of us now. It's who you are."

She shook her head. "No, Marko. It's not who I am. It's what you made me."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." When he opened them she had tears in her eyes.

"No you're not," she said softly. "That's what he made you."

They stared at each other, neither one able to move forward from the moment, or ready to step back. Laughter came from the living room and David's voice echoed out through the small space.

"Marko! We're here."

He looked at her a moment longer then rolled off her. Without a word he walked out of the bedroom to meet them. Sadie could only lay there, her eyes staring up at that low ceiling, tears falling silent from her eyes. She knew they were both right.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Thanks again for all the feedback! I know there isn't enough of Paul and Dwayne but sadly, there are a lot of characters in this story and they don't all get the page time I know they deserve. If it's any consolation there will be a lot more of them in later chapters. Keep leaving me your thoughts! I get so excited to read what you think. ~Stormy~_**

1.

Marko stepped into the living room to find David and Paul sifting through records next to the stereo. When David looked back over his shoulder he took one look at Marko's wet hair and fresh clothes and said, "Did we interrupt something?"

"Hardly," Marko rolled his eyes, hoping the lie was convincing.

"That's too bad," Paul laughed.

David grabbed a sack of burgers off the coffee table and held them up. "Well, here's her dinner. You about ready to go get yours."

"She's asleep," Marko said. "We can all go."

David lifted his brow. "And who will watch over Max's Peanut?"

"The door locks, man. She couldn't get out of here even if she tried." The truth was really that simple. Of course the other part was that he didn't want to leave Sadie alone with David. He didn't want him to know the things that had just happened and how close she was to completing the turn. As much as he hated that hole in the ground, he wasn't ready to leave it.

David looked to Paul who was nodding with a huge smile stretched across his face. The pack had been missing Marko, and it would be nice to have some time without the stress of Sadie hanging over them. "Alright," he said. "Let's go. Dwayne will meet us there."

"I'll leave these on the nightstand," Marko said, grabbing the burgers. "She can eat them when she wakes up." He stepped into the hallway and listened as David and Paul stomped their way up the stairs. When he opened the bedroom door Sadie was standing there. "I'll be back," he told her while handing over the food.

"Okay." She could barely contain the urge to rip open the sack and gulp down everything inside it. The hunger was the worst and the idea that she was going to live with it forever made the idea of living even less appealing. Marko's finger tipped her chin upward so that she was looking into his face.

"Don't do anything stupid," he said. "I meant what I said about not fighting anymore. It's a waste of energy." His grabbed her face and squeezed her cheeks between his fingers. "But that doesn't mean I won't make you sorry if you fuck me over. Got it?"

"Yes," she said, her heart pounding.

Marko let go of her and took a step back toward the door. "I'll be back before sunrise."

When he got outside he inhaled a deep breath. He could smell the dying summer as autumn galloped towards the starting line. They flew back to the cave first. Marko hadn't ridden his motorcycle in what felt like an eternity, and as they sped toward the boardwalk, kicking sand up in their wake, he let out a howl of exhilaration that echoed through the night.

They met Dwayne by the carousal and started their perimeter around the boardwalk, looking for a meal that would satisfy all of them. Marko's eyes swept over the array of tourists and locals, but his mind was back in the bunker with Sadie. Something had changed when he saw her slowly dying in his arms. She was like him now, and her power, whatever it may turn out to be was dangerous. He looked over at David and felt an overwhelming need to protect Sadie from him.

David looked at him with a sideways grin. "So, Marko, what are you in the mood for tonight?"

"Right there," Paul answered instead. He leaned on Marko's shoulder and pointed to a group of girls trying to win giant teddy bears by throwing baseballs at empty milk jugs. "And wouldn't you know it, there's one for each of us."

Marko's stomach growled. "Yeah," he said. "Those girls are exactly right."

Paul laughed. "Which one do you want?"

Marko looked them over. It was like trying to choose an ice cream from 31 Flavors. The blonde was the shortest, her legs were all muscle and the letter jacket she was wearing identified her as a cheerleader. The brunette was tall and thin, her body lean from the days she spent running on the beach. There was another blonde, her hair darker then her friend, crimped and styled with too much hairspray. But there was something about the way she watched her friends that let Marko know she was jealous of all of them. Her insecurities would make her the easiest target. The last girl had rich black hair, dark eyes that watched the boardwalk with an excited gleam.

"The dark haired one," he said with a grin.

David smiled to himself. He already knew who Marko would choose. His childe had an affinity for dark haired girls. They reminded him of Mary Ann. "All right, let's go."

After a series of short introductions the boys had won each girl the bear of their choice. They had also won their trust, which was far more valuable. David had chosen the cheerleader, knowing she was the strongest, and killing her would be more fun because of the fight she would give him. Paul took the other blonde and Dwayne the brunette.

Marko had his arm around his chosen flavor, Tiffany, and tried not to listen to her go on and on about bands and how much she loved his hair. He was thinking about Sadie, wondering what she was doing, and if he had made the right decision by leaving her alone.

"That's so sad," Tiffany said, pulling Marko from his thoughts.

"What is?"

She pointed to a missing persons poster taped up to the window of a bar and grill. It was a smiling picture of Hayden. "Yeah," he said, trying to sound truly affected.

David caught his eye and smirked. "Lots of crazies out there, girls." He pulled his cheerleader closer under his arm. "It's a good thing you have us to protect you." The cheerleader looked up at him with stars in her eyes. Good girls always loved to think they had tamed a bad boy, it made sinking his fangs into their sweet flesh all the more satisfying. He and his boys weren't just bad. They were devils and nothing but the sun would ever tame them again.

Dwayne was growing tired of the formalities involved with dinner, his stomach growling, he suggested the eight of them head over to the Santa Carla graveyard, which wasn't a graveyard at all. It was a part of the boardwalk that had been unfinished and was now home to several rusting rides and a group of dilapidated buildings. His brunette looked up at him and shook her head.

"No way," she laughed. "I'm not going in there."

"Come on," Paul prodded. "We'll protect you." He looked down at his honey blonde and smiled. "You want to, don't you?"

She nodded and looked to her friend. "It will be fun!"

There seemed no more room for the girl to plead her case so she climbed onto the back of Dwayne's bike with a cold feeling pooling in her belly. When they arrived at the graveyard they gained entrance through a part of the chain link fence that had been torn away and never replaced.

Paul lit a joint, sharing knowing smirks with his pack as the girls inadvertently led themselves farther into their own demise with every puff they took. The hazier they were, the more fun the boys could have. "You know what we should do," Paul said, looking down at his meal with a smile. "We should play hide and seek."

Marko nodded, his lips twisting into a lopsided grin. "Definitely."

It took Dwayne longer to convince his girl then it did the other three, but pretty soon she was following her friends into the graveyard, looking back once at the boys who watched them all with hungry eyes.

"Let's give them ten minutes," David smiled. "Then we'll go seek."

The boys split up but David stayed with Marko, wanting to take a moment to discuss Sadie. She should have completed the turn by now; at least she should be close. He was hungry for her, desperate to taste her blood and the power in it.

"Max is okay with it, you know," David said, watching Paul fly to the roof of one of the old buildings and disappear through a broken window. "He says as long as she's not really hurt there's no harm done."

Marko looked at David with a confusion he couldn't hide. "Are you serious?"

"You don't think Max is curious about her too? He just doesn't want to be the first to take a bite. I mean, the old man really does have feelings for her." He turned to face Marko completely. "But she's a gift, Marko. A once in a lifetime chance to make _our_ gift even more then we could have ever dreamed."

"But you don't know that," Marko said. "Her blood may not do anything to us at all."

David gave a curt nod. "True. But it's a worth a try isn't it?"

Marko looked back at the graveyard, staring at the buildings and rides that had been left to rot and crumble. "No," Marko heard himself say. For a moment he couldn't believe he had actually let the word loose.

"Excuse me?"

"It's not worth the risk if she's really going to be a part of this pack."

David swallowed hard. He hadn't expected Marko to say those words, nor had he expected to be left feeling like he wanted to put his fist through Marko's face. Still, if he was ever going to get a taste of Sadie's blood and explore the possibilities in it, he would have to play smart. It wasn't that he wanted to lie to Marko, he didn't. But he knew that Marko was connected to Sadie in a way none of them ever would be. She was a reminder of what he had wanted when he was turned and Max had known that from the start. The clever bastard. "You're right," David said, smiling as he saw the relief wash over Marko's face. "She is going to be a part of this pack. It's not worth it."

"Thanks, man," was all Marko could think to say. Surprised but relieved that David had let the idea die so quickly.

"Well, we better go find our dinner," David laughed, sniffing at the air. "I believe Dwayne already found his." The girl's blood was hanging heavy on the air and a few moments later they heard Paul's laugh and the honey blonde's scream.

"I'll race you," Marko said before lifting off into the wind.

2.

Marko had left the others and rode his bike back to the bunker alone. Their feeding frenzy had made them all drunk off blood and adrenaline and morning was approaching before they knew it. It was dark inside the bunker and Marko kept the lights off as he walked to the bedroom. When he opened the door he saw Sadie lying on her back asleep.

He stepped into the room and slipped off his clothes until he was wearing only his boxers. The blood still pumping through him from his kill had made him warm and his body still wanted what Sadie had denied him earlier. He slid into the bed next to her and propped his head up with his hand so he could watch her. Her chest raised slowly, her breathing almost non existent. She was close to finishing the change and Marko was not sure he was ready to share her with the others. Yes, she would be a part of their pack and he had no doubt that eventually she would accept and even love what they had given her. Until then, he wanted the chance to earn her trust. Sadie may be Max's daughter, but she was his in ways Max would never understand. Marko had tried desperately to deny his feelings, to believe they were just born from residual guilt over Mary Ann. But that afternoon as he had watched Sadie in the throws of pain he had wanted nothing more then to protect her from all of it. He wanted her. That was just a truth he and the others would have to accept.

"Sadie," Marko whispered, smoothing his hand over her hair. "Are you asleep?" She didn't answer him. Morning was coming and pulling him into a sleep nothing would wake him from and he could only assume she had already been claimed by it. "I'm going to make this okay," he promised. "I'm going to get you through this." Marko kept his eyes on her face as he lowered his lips to hers. She was still warm, her humanity not completely lost. "Goodnight." He lay on his back and stared at the ceiling as the drowsiness took him over. In minutes he was lost in his dark slumber.

Sadie slowly turned her head to watch him, wanting to be certain he was out. When she was positive she slid out from under the sheet and got carefully out of bed. Her stomach was clinching with hunger but she bit back every moan her body wanted to release. She crawled to the pile of Marko's clothes on the floor and began to sift through the pockets until she found the key. As quietly as she could she exited the bedroom and went back to the kitchen where she had hidden the sack of burgers in one of the lower cabinets.

She had to ration the food if she was going to have the strength to fight both her need for sleep and the sun she hadn't seen in days. Sadie knew it couldn't kill her, but she had no idea what sort of effect it would have over her. Tucking the sack of food under her arm she climbed the steps that led to the door. Ignoring the hunger pangs and the insatiable drowsiness wasn't easy, but her resolve to get the hell out of that hole in the ground kept her moving. When the door swung open she was doused in dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.

Her hands lifted, shielding her eyes as she stepped outside. She took two steps and looked back at the open door. Sadie knew she could go back inside, lock the door, return the key and Marko would never even know she had left. The thought was tempting, but her determination was stronger than her fear. She turned away from the door and started walking through the woods, each step harder then the first. A few bites of the burger helped but it wasn't enough. Soon she had eaten everything in the bag and knew she had very little time before the sun forced her body to stop all together.

It had felt like hours and the more she walked the more she became afraid. The woods seemed to go on forever and she had no clue where she was going. Her body felt like it was being weighted down, each tread bringing her closer and closer to total exhaustion.

_You're almost there, Sadie. Just a few more steps._

Sadie turned her head and found Hayden standing there with a smile. "I can't do it," Sadie said, leaning against a tree and slowly sliding to the ground. "I want to Hay, but…"

_Yes you can. _Hayden crouched down and looked Sadie in the eyes._ If anyone can do this its you. Get to the road and someone will be there to help you._

"Help me? No one can help me, Hayden."

_Get up now. You're so close, Sadie. _

Sadie took a deep breath and grabbed hold of the tree, gripping the trunk hard as she forced herself to her feet. When she looked back Hayden was gone. Her eyes were heavy and the lids kept closing trying to shut out the bright sunlight. It took everything Sadie had to force them open and take three more steps. On the last step she fell forward and found herself face down on a gravel road. The sound of tires crunching over the loose rock sounded like a chorus of angels. Seconds later she heard the sound of a car door slamming, and then strong hands were gripping her shoulders to turn her over.

"Thank you," she breathed, looking up into the face of an old man.

"Well I'll be damned," he muttered. He scooped her up into his arms, cursing his old age and her dead weight as she lost consciousness. Carefully he put her into the back of his jeep. He walked back around to the driver's side, his hands rubbing at the pinched nerves in his back, and then got back behind the wheel. He glanced over his shoulder and shook his head. "I'll be damned," he repeated before pressing his foot to the gas and taking her home.

3.

Sadie's eyes opened wide, the birth of night drawing her from sleep. She sat up, her mind spinning, remembering the last moments when she had fought her way through the trees and fell to the road. For a moment she was afraid she was in the bunker, that they had found her, but as her eyes soaked in her surroundings she knew that wasn't true. The walls were dark wood and a mounted deer head stared down at her with sad eyes. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and took a deep breath. A stuffed bird, a crow, was on the bedside table, beady black eyes glaring at her. She reached out and turned the bird away not liking the unnatural stare.

"Hello?" she called. No one answered but she could hear music coming from down stairs. It sounded like The Doors, and as Jim Morrison announced his arrival on Moonlight Drive she knew she was right. She left the room and was greeted in the hall by even more stuffed animals and birds. A shiver ran down her spine. Had she been kidnapped by a crazy taxidermist with an affinity for good music? As she made her way down the stairs she was stopped by the site of a heavy set old man, a long grey braid trailing down his back as he sorted his mail with a shake to his hips. When he heard the stairs creak under her foot he looked up.

"Oh good, you're awake." He looked down at his watch and smiled. "Right on time too."

Sadie stayed on the stairs, not sure what she had gotten herself into. "Excuse me?"

"Sun just set," he said very matter of fact.

"Okay," she let the word drag as she said it. "Not to be rude or anything, but where the hell am I?"

The old man laughed and started for the kitchen, Sadie waited a few seconds before following him. She rationalized that she had nothing to be afraid of. After all, he was an old man and she was a vampire. When she got into the kitchen he was sipping at a beer and set one down on the island for her.

"I found you passed out on the side of my road," he told her.

"Your road?"

He nodded. "It's on my private property therefore it's my road."

"Well, I'm really sorry," Sadie said. "But thank you for bringing me inside."

He laughed and sat down at the kitchen table. "I wasn't going to leave you there. You might have been eaten alive."

"Again, I'm very thankful."

The old man's face went serious. "Do they know you left?"

"Who?"

He shook his head with another laugh. "I know more than you think I do. But if you want to play dumb that's okay with me."

Sadie wanted to steer the conversation away from whatever it was he thought he knew. "Could you give me a ride?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

"To where?"

"The boardwalk," she said, knowing the boys would be looking for her and she did not want to lead them to this old mans house. Her primary goal was still to get to Edgar and Alan. She needed help and they were the only two people in all of Santa Carla, maybe in the whole world, who could.

He gave a sigh. "I'm not really one for going into town. But, I guess I can drop you off there."

"Thank you," she said, helping him to stand in an effort to move him closer to the door. Right about now Marko would be waking up to find the bunker door open and Sadie gone. A chill ran through her.

"Don't be in such a rush," the old man said, pulling his arm away from her. "You should eat something before we go."

Sadie wanted to tell him she wasn't hungry, but the growing throb in her abdomen told her otherwise. "Can't I eat it on the way?"

"Suit yourself," he said. He reached into the fridge and grabbed a bag of Oreo cookies then tossed them at her.

"Thanks," Sadie said, knowing cookies weren't going to erase the pain.

When he went into the living room to get his keys Sadie replaced the Oreo's and took a package of hamburger meat instead. She stuffed it under her shirt and tried to ignore the way her body reacted to the smell. "Give me a break," Sadie hissed under her breath.

"Well," the old man said appearing behind her. "Let's go."

He drove incredibly slow and Sadie had to bite her lip to keep herself from asking him to step on it. Every once in a while she would peer out the windshield, eyes trained to the starry sky, looking for them. When she caught the old man glancing over at her she smiled and said, "Pretty night."

"You can see a lot of stars out here. Can't get a view like this in the city."

"No, you can't."

After twenty minutes she could see the twinkling lights of the boardwalk and her heart started to pound harder in her chest. What if they were there waiting for her? What if she ran into Max? For a moment she thought about just going to Max first. He could protect her from Marko's anger and maybe she could convince him that a babysitter was no longer required. It would be damn near impossible to trick the others, especially since she had just successfully escaped, but Max would do anything for her. The thought was eclipsed by the realization that what she needed more than Max's protection, was answers that only the Frogs would be able to give her.

He pulled up into the parking lot and Sadie had her hand on the door ready to bolt when he reached out and gently grabbed her arm. "If you ever need a place to go you come to my house," he told her.

Sadie smiled softly at him. "I will. By the way, I'm Sadie."

"Grandpa," he said, shaking her hand.

Sadie laughed. "Grandpa? You don't have a name?"

He shrugged. "Been called Grandpa for so long now it might as well be my name."

"Okay, Grandpa. Thank you."

"Be careful," he told her as she slid out of the jeep.

She nodded and closed the door. Sadie stood there for a moment and watched him drive away. He was a sweet old man, but Sadie knew she would probably never see him again. There was no way she would ever drag someone else into this nightmare. She had unknowingly done it with Hayden and it cost her best friends life. She reached up under her shirt and removed the small package of hamburger. Sadie took her dinner to a corner where no one was standing and ate as quickly as she could, wiping her hands on her jeans and keeping her eyes and ears open for any sound of the boys. When she was done she started making her way toward the comic book shop.

Over and over she practiced what she would say to the Frog brothers. There were no words that Sadie could ever say that would make any of it better, or would accurately explain how torn Sadie was inside. As she rounded a corner, pushing her way through the tangled mass of people, something inside her gave a sudden pull. She stopped and heard the sound of motorcycles in the distance. When she looked over her shoulder she saw all four boys riding up from the beach. She turned and was damn near running toward the shop, glancing back occasionally with fear that they were right behind her.

When she made it to the shop she was almost frantic. She looked around for the brothers and stopped dead in her tracks when she was greeted by Hayden's smiling face on a missing poster the boys had taped to the wall. Tears welled up in Sadie's eyes and as she took in her surroundings she realized that Hayden's face was covering the walls of the shop.

"Where's Hayden?"

Sadie swung around and was met with Edgar. He was glaring at her and she could see tears prickling his eyes, but he was a strong kid and he wouldn't let them fall. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it as that strange feeling inside her hit again, like there was an invisible rope wrapped around her and somebody had just tugged it hard. She heard Paul's cackle and her eyes went wide. When she looked back at Edgar he saw the fear staring back at him.

"Come on," he said, taking her hand and dragging her to the back of the shop. He opened up the storeroom door and shoved her inside. "Stay hidden."

Sadie crouched down behind a stack of boxes and pulled her knees to her chest. Why did she come here? How could she put these kids in danger like this? Her entire body stiffened as she peered around the boxes, focusing her eyes between the slats in the door. The first thing she saw were David's black boots and she just knew it was over.

"You guys need help?" Edgar asked.

"Actually you can help us," David said, smirking down on the teenager. "We're looking for a girl."

Edgar laughed and grabbed the box of comics he had been going through when Sadie walked through the door. "Sorry, man. If it's a comic you want I can help you. If you're looking for a girl I hear a bunch of them hang out under the wharf waiting for johns."

Marko stepped forward but David held out his arm to stop him. "We think she came in here," David continued. "She's about 5' 3" with long brown hair."

"You just described half the girls on the boardwalk, dude."

"Quit fucking with us kid and answer the question." Marko was in a panic, still not able to believe Sadie had not only managed to get out of the bunker but make it all the way to the boardwalk. He could sense she was close, but there was no way to pinpoint her exact location. "Did you see her or not?"

Sadie was listening to everything behind the door. She was silently urging Edgar to stop messing with the boys and just get them the hell out. That feeling of being pulled was increasing the longer they stood there, and she had a terrible idea that she would simply walk out and stand next to them if they didn't go.

"Yeah," Alan said suddenly as he rounded one of the shelves to stand next to his brother. "She came through here. She seemed pretty fucked up."

"Which way did she go?" Marko asked.

"Said something about going to the video store on the other side of the boardwalk."

David felt his jaw clench. "Let's go," he said to the others. They had to get to her before she got to Max or she would ruin everything David had so carefully set up. He led the others out through the other side of the shop and when he was sure they were gone Edgar opened up the storeroom door and helped Sadie to her feet.

"Where's Hayden?" Edgar asked for the second time.

Sadie stared at them but the words wouldn't come. She didn't want to have to say it. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she shook her head sadly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I tried to stop them."

Edgar turned away from her and Alan dropped his head back as though the tears threatening to fall would simply retreat. "So, they got you." Alan said. "And now you're here to what? Kill us?"

"No," Sadie said imploringly. "I would never…"

"Then what?" Edgar snapped. "Now we know all these damn posters we've put up are useless. Thanks for saving us money in the Xerox department."

Sadie wiped at her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know what to do. I need you to help me."

Edgar and Alan looked at each other then back at Sadie. "There's still a chance for you," Edgar said. "If you don't kill anyone you remain a half vamp. When the head vampire dies you'll go back to a human."

Sadie's eyes went wide. "Really?"

"Really," Alan said. "Do you know who the head is?"

Sadie felt her body go stiff. It was Max, she knew that for certain. "I think so."

"Tell us who it is and we'll finish him off," Edgar growled. "And then tell us where those assholes roost so we can go finish them too."

"I can't," Sadie said softly. The Frog brothers were just kids, and even if they did think of themselves as vampire aficionados the truth was much more complex then that. Besides, she was the reason Hayden was dead, and she would be the one to right that wrong. "I have to be the one to do this," she said.

She could tell they wanted to argue with her, but they wouldn't. The truth was they were both fighting back their emotions over their cousin and any minute the damn was going to break loose.

"Holy water," Alan said, his voice broken by the sobs he was holding in. "It will burn them."

She nodded. "Thanks." An awkward stretch of silence built between them all and Sadie broke it by saying, "I'll make them pay. I swear it."

"You better get out of here," said Edgar. "They'll come back here when they can't find you."

"All right," she said, then turned and left the shop, snatching one of the missing persons posters off the wall as she went. "I swear it," she whispered down to the smiling face of Hayden staring up at her.

4.

"She's not here," Marko growled as the four stood in front of the video shop. There was no one there except Maria and some guy they had never seen before. Max wasn't there either and with every second that passed and Sadie's presence grew dimmer, Marko became more agitated.

"She's here somewhere," David said.

"Should we split up?" Paul asked. "I can still feel her, but just barely."

"No," said David. "We stick together. That way when we find our little escapee she can't get away so easy."

Marko chewed nervously on his thumb. He knew what they were all thinking because he was thinking it too. Sadie had gotten under his skin and he had let her get away. The ropes were still tied to the bed and he should have used them to keep her there, but he hadn't. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"It could have been any of us," David assured. Inside he was screaming at Marko, wanting to smack the kid upside the head for being so stupid. But he was still counting on Marko being an active participant in Sadie's future taste test, and she had only helped his cause by running away.

"But it wasn't," Marko snapped. "It was me."

"Wait," Dwayne suddenly said, his eyes wide as his chin lifted. "Do you feel that?"

David narrowed his eyes. He felt the shiver move through him from his toes to the top of his head.

"What the fuck just happened?" Paul asked, having never felt the sensation before.

David looked at him with a frown. "Our little Peanut just fed." When he looked over at Marko it was to find his childes eyes glowing amber, his chest heaving as he stared David down. "Pull it in, kid," David demanded. "People can see you."

Marko closed his eyes and when he opened them they were blue again. "You lied to me," Marko growled, stomping toward David and grabbing his sire by the collar of his shirt. He pushed David back toward the boardwalk railing while Paul and Dwayne followed and tried to pull him off. David held his hands up, letting Marko push his back into the railing hard. "I'm her fucking sire."

"Yes," David said, his lips curling into a grin. "You're welcome."

Marko released David with a hard push and stepped back, his chest still heaving and using every ounce of his willpower to hold in his shift. He turned his back on them, feeling not only Sadie's hunger and shift, but her fear as well. Marko had to find her.

"Where are you going?" Paul called after him, still trying to understand the situation that was growing heavier with every second.

"To find her," Marko spat back at them. His walk turned into a run as he felt his body being pulled closer and closer to her. Her fear and confusion was loud in his ears, like a voice calling to him. He followed his instinct toward the beach and the pull of his childes cries.


	16. Chapter 16

**_Thank you again to everyone who takes the time to leave me feedback! I am so appreciative of it and its so great to read your take on the characters and their world. ~Stormy~_**

1.

When Marko found Sadie it was under the wharf in a dark corner where the sand and surf mingled together in a frothy mess. She was kneeling in the sand, her back to him, the body of a man lying in front of her. A whimper drew Marko's attention to a young girl sitting on the other side of Sadie, her hand over her mouth as she tried not to scream. When she met Marko's eyes he absorbed her fear, told her to go home and forget everything. After she was gone he approached Sadie slowly.

"Sadie?" He had to whisper her name; afraid someone on the boardwalk above might hear them and investigate. Slowly she turned to look at him, blood caked around her lips, pieces of the dead man stuck in her hair. "It's okay," he said, holding his hands up and approaching her like she was a wild animal. "I'm here now."

"He was hurting that girl," she said, her eyes still glowing amber. "He wouldn't stop even when I told him to."

Marko crouched down next to her and gingerly took her hand in his. "You have to pull it in, Sadie," he said softly. "Pull it back in before someone sees you." It was the most awkward place in the world to try and teach her about who she was and how she would have to control this new part of her, but he was her sire and he wouldn't desert her now.

She closed her eyes and when she opened them again Marko was staring into a sea of blue. "Good girl," he told her, cupping her cheek in his hand. "Good girl." He repeated the words over and over, encouraging her to calm down enough that they could move on to the next step.

"I killed him," she cried. "I killed him."

Marko gripped her face in his hands and forced her eyes to his. "We're not going to think about that now, understand? The only thing we are going to do is get rid of him and then I'll take you back to the bunker where you'll be safe."

Sadie's body suddenly gave a hard jerk and her head fell backward. Marko watched her with confused eyes as she toppled back into the sand, her body twitching as blood and saliva began to spill from her mouth in the form of pink foam. He leaned over her, clutching her shoulders as she thrashed in the sand. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and there were words trying to form between her lips that he couldn't understand. Then she suddenly went still, her eyes looking up at the boardwalk with a stare like a blank slate.

Marko could hear the foot traffic over them increasing as more and more people arrived to partake of the evening. He moved away from Sadie and grabbed hold of the mangled dead man. It was then he realized that not only had Sadie removed the man's throat, she had ripped off his manhood as well. It was vicious, and if he wasn't in such a panic, he might have even been proud. He dragged the corpse into the water until it was up to Marko's chest. Without needing to take a breath Marko slipped beneath the undulating waves and swam as fast as he could, his eyes glowing, giving him sight into the inky blue darkness.

The man's blood had turned the water around them red and soon Marko could sense new predators arriving, their thirst for blood just barely matching his own. He let go of the man and watched as his body started to rise to the surface when suddenly the great white appeared from the deep blue and snatched the bloody mess in its jaws. Marko smirked; admiring the sleek way the shark arched and disappeared back into the shadows. Marko turned and swam back as fast as he could toward the pier, not sure what he would find in Sadie when he got there.

She was still lying in the sand, her eyes trained on the boardwalk above. Marko scooped her up in his arms and looked down into her face. "Sadie, talk to me," he pleaded, so unsure what to do. He was her sire, and it was a role he had never imagined he would experience. It would have pleased him to be David's childe forever, the responsibility of his own childe something he had never wanted. But she was his, and there was a part of him that would do anything to protect her.

"I killed him," Sadie said softly, her eyes moving to his.

Marko pulled her closer and she wrapped her arms around his neck without him needing to tell her to. She seemed to sense what was going to happen. "I have to do this quick," he told her. Sadie gripped him tighter as he stepped out from beneath the wharf and shot into the sky leaving any human eye that might have seen him confused.

When they made it back to the bunker, Sadie was steadily crying, her face turned into the side of his neck. Marko's feet hit the ground with a thud before he carried her down the still open door. He had been frantic when he woke up and she wasn't there, the bunker door wide open, her scent fading into the woods. His panic had turned to fury, a feeling of intense betrayal that she would not heed his warning that he would make her sorry if she were to disobey him. Now, though, knowing she was his, he only wanted to help her. He understood the strange feelings that moved through a vampire after their first kill. Marko himself had sobbed over the dead body of his first. Of course, the next kill he didn't cry at all. If he thought back he could remember cackling with David over the young woman's body, her blood dribbling down his chin.

He carried Sadie to the bathroom. "Get cleaned up," he told her gently. "And then we'll talk." As he was nearing the door she reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"Don't leave me," she said, her body still trembling slightly. "I can't be alone right now."

"I'll stay," he told her and nodded towards the shower. "Go on. I'll turn around." And this time his chivalry was inherent and automatic. It was the role he had been given and the part he felt both proud and yet unready to play.

He could hear her wet clothes hitting the floor and it took all his strength to keep his eyes on the bathroom door and not turn around to steal a glance at her. Moments later he heard the water turn on and the shower door close. He looked back and could see her silhouette through the frosted glass. Then he heard her soft crying.

"Sadie, are you okay?" He bit his lip. It was such a stupid question. Of course she was not okay.

"I'm like you now," she said.

He took a step toward the shower and another, until he was an inch from the shower door. "Yes," he said.

"There's more isn't there? I can feel it. I just don't understand it."

"I didn't know," Marko said, pressing his palms against the glass. The connection he felt was so deep, like the ocean he had dove in a thousand times but could never find the bottom. It was a blood bond only matched by the one he shared with David. Her pain, confusion and fear could all be felt in him. Emotions he had not experienced since his days as a human.

"It was your blood," she said, turning to face the glass herself, teary eyes blurring on the shadow just beyond the door.

"I swear, I didn't know. Not until you…fed."

Sadie looked down at the bloody water swirling around her feet. She could still taste the blood in her mouth, thick like syrup and just as sweet. "I told him to leave her alone," she said, biting back tears. "But he wouldn't. And then he came at me and I couldn't stop it." She pressed her back against the wall, knowing it was done. Sadie Daniels was dead. Whatever lived inside her now would never know the person she used to be.

The shower door opened and Sadie met Marko's eyes. He stepped into the shower, never letting his gaze break from hers. "You're mine, Sadie. It's my job to protect you."

"Why?" she asked, her voice hushed. "I thought you hated me."

"I'm your sire. It's in my nature."

Sadie stared at him, then let her eyes drift down over his bare chest, down farther to that part of him she had only ever known in the dark. The pull she felt earlier was now magnified. A push that sent her only in his direction. She watched as he reached for the bar of soap sitting in a dish on the wall. Without a word he took her gently by the wrist and pulled her to him. His eyes still locked on hers as he began to rub the soap over her shoulders, soapy fingers moving to her neck, the slow pulse he had once felt now absent.

"Trust me," he said softly, his hands ghosting down her arms, touching the sides of her breasts tenderly. "I could never hurt you. Not now."

She wanted to scream at him. To take her nails and rake them down that bronzed skin until it was his blood covering her. She wanted to ask him why he couldn't have done this for her before. When she had trusted him so completely and he had destroyed her. But she knew why. Sadie felt it inside her. The pull toward him, the longing to have him there was because his blood had mingled with hers. Its truth had lay dormant until the moment that man under the boardwalk made such a fatal mistake.

She bit her lip hard as his hands cupped her breasts gently, fingers tracing her nipples until they were hard and aching. Her mind shut off, all those human feelings were sliding away with the blood down the drain. Without thinking or calculating her next move she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his, surprising them both. At first he didn't kiss her back, unsure why, but still overwhelmed with the idea that she was his. Slowly he opened his mouth, his tongue tangling with hers, the taste of blood rich and heavy in her mouth. Marko pushed her back into the wall, his mouth moving down her throat to bite gently at her neck while her fingers gripped his shoulder like a vice.

She could feel her gums aching as her fangs slowly descended. Every touch was like a cool caress she wanted more of. Her body would not allow her mind to remind of all those torturous things he had done to her.

Her shift called to Marko and when he looked up from the soft skin above her breast he saw her head tilted back, mouth wide, fangs sharp. His shift took him over and when he grabbed her face and forced her amber eyes to his she looked at him not with fear, but with desire.

He cupped her right breast and lowered his mouth to lick at her skin, to bite with the tip of his fangs until he tasted her blood. She tasted different, stronger, and if possible, more delectable. Sadie tangled her fingers in his curly wet hair and pulled his face to hers. The sight of her blood on his lips made her body hunger. Marko could see it in her eyes and he leaned into her, his mouth next to her ear.

"Do it," he breathed.

When he felt her fangs push through his skin he couldn't stop the moan that echoed out over the small space. She whimpered with want as his blood flowed past her lips, and Marko could not keep himself from pressing fully against her, encouraging her to bite him again, to take whatever she wanted.

Sadie pulled away and leaned her head back against the wall. Marko looked at her, smiling as he watched her tongue run over her lips, soaking up his blood like it was the only thing she would ever need again. When she looked at him her eyes faded slowly back to blue and Marko pulled in his own fiend so that they were together in the moment. He gripped the side of her face and pulled her close, her breasts pressing against his chest, her blood smearing against his skin.

"Promise me," she said, looking into his eyes and searching for the Marko he might once have been.

"What?"

She didn't know what to make him promise. It seemed unfair to make him promise anything at all. He had been a vampire for so long now, and Sadie, who was still so close to her humanity, could not know that promises were just words on the lips of the night.

"I don't know," she said looking away.

Marko leaned down so that he was looking up in her eyes. "You're mine," he said. "You don't have to worry about anyone else."

"What does that mean?" she asked. Marko stood straight and then took a step back. She felt cold without his body against hers. "I'm yours?"

"It means I protect you." He immediately thought of David, of the plans he had once been hatching for Sadie and her blood. "It means you stand with me."

"And David?"

Marko furrowed his brows. "What about him?"

"You stand with him don't you? You're his like I'm yours."

It was Marko's turn to look away. Things were becoming far too complicated in that tiny space, which moments before had been filled with so much want it would have taken the sun to pry him away from her. "We'll talk about it later," he said, his lips turning at the corners as he came closer to her, his eyes glued to the blood on her breast that he was still hungry for. He lowered his head and swiped his tongue over her skin, it took a minute for her to react to him, but soon she was cradling the back of his head guiding his mouth lower until his lips were wrapping around her nipple with tender precision.

Suddenly he stood up and looked over his shoulder. Seconds later Sadie felt the chill move through her. Someone was there. Someone whose blood was in some way connected with hers.

"Sadie! Sadie, I'm here."

Marko growled deep in his throat. It was Max. He had felt Sadie's feed just like they all had. He turned to Sadie whose eyes had lit up for a moment. She was already reaching around him to open the shower door. Marko took her by the arms and forced her eyes to his. "Stay here," he told her.

"But it's Max. You said I would see him after…"

"That was before I knew. Stay here, do you understand?"

She shook her head. "Why?"

"Because you do what I say, Sadie." He didn't bark the words at her like he once might have. He said them calmly, and when he gently leaned in to kiss her cheek, she found she did understand. His words were her law. She was _his_.

2.

Marko grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist and stepped into the hallway, nearly colliding with Max. He shut the bathroom door behind him and glared up into Max's face.

Max looked surprised for a moment, and then said, "Meet me outside."

Marko watched him disappear up the stairs. He got dressed, leaving Sadie in the bathroom, feeling it was better to keep her out of this as much as he could. When he stepped outside Max was staring up at the moon with a dreamy gaze.

"She's completed her turn," he said. When Marko didn't respond he looked back over his shoulder. "It was very clever of you boys to give her your blood."

"I didn't know," Marko said. "Not until tonight."

Max couldn't help but laugh. "What a devil our David is." He fixed his gaze on Marko's emotionless face. "And now Sadie is your childe. That is, if you want her to be."

Marko was confused. His blood had been the ingredient used to change her, whether he wanted or not, he was her sire. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Marko. I see David did not pass down everything I taught him to his own. Maybe I was wrong in letting him sire you all." He stepped toward Marko with a fatherly smile. "You can release her to anyone. Relinquish the responsibility of teaching her all the endless things you don't know yourself." He laid his hand on Marko's shoulder and said, "Give her to me, Marko. You know deep down you never really wanted _her_."

Marko looked at Max's hand and then back into his face. "She's mine," he said, his lips curling into a snarl. "David's more like you than you even know. You played me just like he did. Both of you putting me in the middle of your sick idea that she's something special, that her blood will make you stronger." He laughed softly. "I've tasted her, Max. She's delicious but…there's nothing there."

Max's eyes began to glow. "She was supposed to be my childe," he hissed. "Release her to me, Marko. Do it and I'll have David grant you permission to sire anyone else you want."

"I want her."

Max stiffened and crossed his arms over his chest. "How long do you think you'll be able to control her? Do you even remember what it was like to be a young vampire, Marko? She's liable to kill everyone she comes across. It puts us all in danger."

"I can handle it." He wouldn't give her up.

"Fine," he said. "But I want to see her. Please."

"Eventually," Marko smiled. "But she doesn't want to see _you_, Max." He could see the hurt wash over Max's face, and for a moment he almost felt sorry for him.

"Very well. If that's what she wants, I will wait for her. Just remember Marko, that being a sire isn't doing just the things you think are right for you. It's your job to make sure you do what is right for her."

Marko gave a nod. He started to think on Max's words. On all the things David may not have told them about their kind and the laws that governed them. "I will."

"Then you can start by taking care of a mess Sadie's former life has put us in."

"What do you mean?"

Max removed his glasses, wiped the lenses with his shirt, then put them back on his face. "Her parents have been calling up to the store. They want to know why she won't return their calls. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels are threatening to come here if she doesn't get in touch with them soon. Obviously the last thing we need is Sadie's face adorning the boardwalk in the form of a missing poster. Especially since Hayden is already a star feature."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Take her to them. Have her convince them she's fine, and then she needs to say goodbye." He glared hard at Marko. "Surely that was one thing my childe did teach you. This life cannot have any part of the one before."

Yes, David had certainly taught him that. "I'll take her."

"See that you do." He looked over Marko's shoulder as though waiting for Sadie to suddenly appear. After several seconds he gave a sigh. "When she's ready…"

"I'll bring her to you," Marko finished.

Max turned and was a blur as he collided with the sky. Marko watched the sky even after he could sense Max no more. He suddenly felt like someone was sitting on his chest, crushing him beneath the weight of all he had to teach Sadie, and all he still had to learn himself. A movement behind him forced him to turn around. Sadie was standing at the end of the stairs looking up at him. "You okay?" he asked.

She nodded, but he could see the trepidation reflected in her eyes. He walked down the steps and closed the door behind him. "I'm tired," she said softly.

"Dawn's coming in a couple of hours. Later you won't feel so sleepy until right before the sun rises." She nodded and he reached for her. He watched as her hand slipped into his, with complete trust. "Let's go to sleep."

He walked her to the bedroom, shutting the door on her first night as one of them. Knowing that the next rising of the moon would mean she would shut her own door on the past she could no longer claim.

He helped her into bed and watched as her eyes fluttered close, a death sleep he knew all too well. Could he do this? Would he be a good teacher for her when it was obvious he still had so much to learn. The idea that David had given Sadie Marko's blood, and then planned to keep her from ever feeding, keeping Marko from ever knowing he was her sire… It made his stomach flip, and it hurt. It hurt so much he wanted to scream and tear apart everything in that room. Why had David done it?

_Because he knew she was a gift you would never give him._

Marko turned his head sharply. The voice had been so clear, sharp like a piece of glass. He sat up, his eyes scanning the darkness. He knew that voice, knew it like he knew his own, but it wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

She stepped out of the shadows, her hair wet, her dress brushing the floor and leaving behind a puddle. Mary Ann smiled softly at him.

He was trembling, a fear like none he had ever known was moving through him like ghostly fingers. "You're not real," he said out loud.

_I've always been here my love. She gave you the ability to see me. Her blood has brought me into your sight._

Marko could feel himself rising off the bed, his hands reaching out to her. "Mary Ann," he breathed her name and it felt like a song. He was only an inch from her, so close he could see the beads of water glistening on her skin. "Forgive me," he said, choking on the words that tasted like acid on his tongue.

She laughed. _Forgive you for which part my love? The moment you abandoned me for his blood, or the nights you found release in another's arms. Oh, Marko, there are so many trespasses to forgive, how could I ever begin to grasp them all._

"No," he said, shaking his head, hands slowly lifting toward her. "I loved you. You know that."

_You don't know how to love, Marko. You'll abandon her just as you did me._

"Fuck you," he hissed, the devil inside rising to meet the angelic foe before him. "She's stronger then you ever could have been."

_He wants her blood. You'll do anything to please your master. Even serve her up to him like she's a fine wine. Look at what you have already done to her._

"I won't," he growled. "Sadie is mine."

Mary Ann laughed again, her sweet laugh becoming a sirens wail. _But for how long?_

He charged at her, but she was gone before his hands could even form a grasp. Marko had to press his palms against the wall to keep from falling, every muscle in his body growing weak. "It's just a dream," he whispered, trying to remember if he had ever had a dream in this immortal life before. "Just a dream."

He crawled into the bed next to Sadie and wrapped his arms around her unmoving body. He clung to her, trying to fight back tears he could feel begging to be released. It was just a dream. Mary Ann was dead and ghosts did not exist. He had been alive long enough now that if they did, he was sure he would have seen them. No, this was all just some terrible dream. It had to be.

3.

David stood next to the water, watching as the surf crashed against the bluff with tremendous power. He could feel Dwayne behind him and finally he said, "Just say it, Dwayne." He looked back over his shoulder with a growl. "I know you want to."

Dwayne looked at David with eyes that betrayed him. There was a wisdom in Dwayne that had existed before he drank David's blood, and the wise old man he was now, living forever in that youthful shell, knew that David had lost. "Why didn't you just tell him?"

David looked back to the ocean. "He wouldn't have understood. Even you don't understand."

"Then explain it to me." Dwayne took the last few steps necessary to bring him to David's side. "Make me understand why you did this."

David sighed and looked over at Dwayne. "Before I turned Marko I spent months watching him. I invested in him because I saw the darkness in him no one else did." He couldn't help but smile as he remembered back all those years. "He wanted to love his wife, but Marko couldn't give up his own desires even for her." His eyes trained on the moon, wondering if Marko would ever understand David's motivations or forgive him the betrayal. "Times were different then. Marriage and children were expected the moment society deemed you a man. Marko was nineteen when I found him in a brothel drinking and fucking until they threw him out."

Dwayne had never really known Marko's story. Each of them had a past that was kept under lock and key in David's mind. He was the only one who knew their truths and it was just understood that once they ingested his gift, their past would stay locked away forever inside him. It felt awkward standing there under the full moon listening to David spin stories about Marko and the man he once was. It was such a contrast to the immortal Dwayne had always known.

David continued, his eyes still locked on the bright rock in the sky. "His wife gave birth to a stillborn son, and while she was bringing death into the world Marko was fucking a whore in the alley next door. I watched him and I knew at that moment that the only thing Marko had ever been meant for was this life." His eyes moved to Dwayne. "And he was hungry for eternity, Dwayne. The only problem was that bitch who had taken his name. Marko wanted her too, but I knew she would never cross with him. Hell, you could see the light radiating off her like she was the sun. The darkness had no chance claiming that light."

"So, you gave Sadie his blood to give him what his wife wouldn't."

If only it were that simple. "Partly," David said, seeing the surprise lighten Dwayne's eyes. "I did it because I knew there was something inside her that could be ours. Just like I knew it when I drank that artist on the beach. Sadie was drawn to Marko; you saw it just like I did. And Max saw it too. Marko's blood would keep her with us forever, no matter what."

Dwayne shook his head. It didn't make sense. "But you were never going to tell him, David. Your whole plan was to keep her drained and unfed. He never would have known he sired her. Why didn't you give her your blood?"

"One day she would have fed, we all know that. And when that day came he would have already been a recipient of her blood. Maybe I hoped that he would understand." He narrowed his eyes on Dwayne. "I gave him Sadie as a gift, a dark replacement for the light he lost, and the least I deserve for that is her blood."

"So, just ask him, David. He's yours, just like I am. I know what I owe you and so does he. Taste her, and then bring Marko back to this pack where he belongs."

David shook his head with a laugh. His children knew nothing, in part because he had never allowed them to learn what Max had taught him. The connection Marko had with Sadie now was even more powerful then the one he had with David. She was born from his blood, and David knew that Marko would be hard pressed to ever share even a drop of the blood inside her. It was why David knew he could turn Sadie with Marko's blood and Max would do nothing but scream and yell. He could never hurt David. A sire would never harm the offspring of his blood. He had thought about giving her his own blood, and then he wouldn't need anyone's permission to drink from the well of his own creation. In the end he had given her Marko's because David knew how much Marko wanted her. He knew how much Mary Ann had stolen from him and maybe he hoped Sadie would give some of it back.

"I will taste her," David said with a growl. All his carefully laid plans had collapsed like the old resort had collapsed into the bluff, but like the boys had rebuilt that rubble into their Neverland, David would rebuild Marko's trust and soon he would partake of the power he had been longing for. "And you and Paul will help me," he said to Dwayne.

David could feel Dwayne wanting to say no. He could see the left over humanity wanting to argue with the vampire that had crushed it. But he also knew Dwayne would follow David wherever he led. "Yeah," Dwayne said with a sharp nod. "Always."


	17. Chapter 17

**_Thank you all for the amazing feedback and for your patience! I left earlier in the week to visit my best friend (VeritasDuchess) and forgot to bring my flash drive that has all the chapters with me on the plane. So, thank you for being patient on this update. This is one of those chapters that proved to be so hard for me to write. It isn't easy trying to explain the complexities of Marko and Sadie's relationship, or to balance the dark aspects of Marko's character with the softer side. I hope I've done it justice. Thank you all again! ~Stormy~_**

1.

Sadie opened her eyes and turned her head to find the bed empty. There was a moment of panic, a feeling not unlike the night of her party when she thought Marko had left with his friends. She sat up and looked around the room, her eyes taking in everything despite the darkness. "Marko?"

When he didn't answer Sadie got out of the bed. She stepped into the hall and could hear the sounds of cicadas and frogs coming in through the bunkers open door. She took the stairs one at a time and found Marko sitting on the top step, eyes trained to the starry sky above. "Hey," he said looking back at Sadie with a soft smile. "How do you feel?"

"Awake", she said as she sat down beside him, her vision so clear it seemed impossible. Her eyes could see every blade of grass, her ears could hear an owl miles away swooping down on its prey.

"I remember that," Marko smiled. "It's like seeing everything for the first time."

Sadie dropped her eyes and thought back to that man, the one who was trying to hurt the girl and would have hurt her too if she hadn't done what she did. Part of her felt horrified that she had allowed the genie out of the bottle, but the other knew that the horrible man had got what he deserved. Only now, she was hungry and she knew a burger wasn't going to cut it.

"We'll go by the boardwalk," he said. "Grab some dinner and talk about some stuff."

Sadie could sense an apprehension in Marko. His smile seemed forced and there was a look in his eyes that was almost sorrowful. "What's wrong?"

He looked away from her and shook his head. "Nothing. Just thinking about David and the boys."

"You miss them." It wasn't a question. He was missing his friends like she was missing hers.

"Yeah," he agreed. "It's just there's a complication now that I don't know how to handle."

"Me." Again, it wasn't a question.

"Yes," he said softly.

She lifted her eyes to the sky, the cluster of stars above was so bright and beautiful she couldn't help but stare at them. Had she ever realized how beautiful the night really was? "Why don't you go be with them? I can be on my own. I don't need a babysitter anymore."

"It's not that simple, Sadie."

She looked over at him and took a breath, out of habit now as opposed to necessity. "I promise I won't let what happened last night happen again. I'll do it where no one can see me and I'll get rid of the body."

He let his eyes settle on her face, his brows furrowed slightly. "Why don't you want me there?"

She looked down at her hands, noticing how much her nails had grown seemingly overnight. "It's just something I think should be private."

It wasn't the truth. The real reason she didn't want him there was because Sadie had thought long and hard about this new life that had been forced upon her. She understood that the hunger was never going to go away; it would be with her forever. While so many things about her had changed, there were some parts of Sadie that never would. She could not kill innocent people. So, she would kill the ones who weren't innocent at all.

The man under the boardwalk was a rapist, and when she had torn into his skin and tasted his blood, she had seen flashes of his memories, of all the other girls who hadn't been as lucky as the one she saved. There were evil people out there, but she would not be one of them. She would be an advocate for the innocent. It was the only way she would ever be able to live in this world.

"I can't let you," Marko said. "Not right now. It's for your own safety, Sadie. Not to mention mine and the boys." He could see the disappointment in her eyes. "We're a pack, Sadie. A family. We do everything together, including feed." Marko thought back to Max, to the mess Sadie's parents were about to make, and he realized that if he was going to get her to go along with the eternal goodbye, he might have to give her something in return. "But, I'll make a deal with you. Tonight, you let me watch you hunt, and if I think you can handle it, I'll let you do it on your own next time."

It wasn't a conventional way for the pack; it was in their nature to do everything as one, but Sadie was not like them. Even with Marko's blood coursing through her veins, she would never really be a part of their group, and deep down, Marko didn't want her to be. The four of them were too close to add someone in who didn't even really want to be there. Marko knew he would have to find a way to keep his brothers and Sadie separate. He just didn't know how yet.

She shrugged her shoulders and relented. "Okay. I guess that seems fair." When she looked over at him he kissed her. When he pulled away there was an awkward silence that stretched between them. Sadie lowered her eyes, unable to look at him. She was so confused by their relationship and what exactly it was supposed to be.

Marko placed his hand gently on the side of her neck and pulled her closer. "It will get easier," he promised.

She lifted her eyes and would have lost her breath if she still had the need for air. He looked beautiful, more beautiful than the first time she had seen him. "What part?" she whispered. "Being a vampire, or being yours."

He dropped his hand and turned away from her. Of course this wasn't going to be easy. Before he knew that it was his blood inside her, he had been cruel just because he could. He had killed that girl to punish Sadie because he blamed her for the separation from his pack and for the memory of Mary Ann. Now, all he could think about was not losing her to Max or David. Theirs was a relationship born from the most complicated place, and eventually, he knew they would have to talk about it. But not tonight. Tonight, he just wanted to be away from everything but her.

"We should go," he said, standing up and reaching down to help her to her feet. "Go get changed."

Sadie did as she was told and when she returned Marko was already on his motorcycle, revving the engine and ready to ride. She climbed onto the bike and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't say a word, just tore off into the woods, swerving the bike in and out of trees with ease.

Marko could feel her arms clutching him tighter. Once in a while she would let out a gasp as a tree was narrowly missed, but as the bike broke free from the woods and its tires hit the sand, the only sounds coming from her was laughter. He went faster, swerving in and out of the surf, howling and laughing with her.

Sadie unwound her hands from around Marko's waist and held them at her side. She closed her eyes and breathed deep, the smell of the ocean mingling with the corny dogs and cotton candy on the boardwalk. There was a feeling inside her she had never experienced before. It was the feeling of total and absolute freedom. The wind was cool against her skin and a fine mist of salt water caressed her face. It felt like flying. When the bike came to a stop and she opened her eyes to find them on the boardwalk, she was almost sad it was over.

Marko dismounted first and offered her his hand as she climbed down. "You're crazy," she laughed, wiping her hands over her jeans to shake away the sand clinging to them.

"You liked it," he laughed. When she looked up at him with a smile his face went serious. "It will always be like that, Sadie. Nothing will ever keep you tethered to one place again."

Sadie wanted to say something to him, but she couldn't find the words. One minute it felt like they were having that very first date, the one that had never really happened. The next she was reminded that it wasn't a date, and never would be. It was forever, and she had never even had a choice. She felt a shiver move through her and recognized it as the call of someone connected to her by the blood. Marko must have felt it too, because he turned over his shoulder to watch the Lost Boys riding up from the beach.

"Stay here," he told her. She nodded absently, her eyes taking in the boardwalk traffic, seeing it in ways she never had before. Marko took her by the arm forcing her eyes to his. "I mean it, Sadie. Don't leave this spot."

"I won't," she said, pulling away from him, a defiant gleam in her eyes. She didn't know if she would ever be able to understand or accept the dichotomy of their relationship. Was he her lover? Her teacher? Her friend? Or did being her sire mean he was all those things rolled into one. "Can I at least go stand by the railing?"

"Of course," said Marko, feeling a bead of guilt drop through him. "I'll be right back, okay?" When all she did was nod her compliance he rested his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. "I'm sorry, okay. I'm new to this too, you know." He gave her a smile and after several seconds she returned it. Marko could sense his pack coming closer, their scent growing heavier in the air. When he knew they had Marko and Sadie locked in their sights he leaned down and kissed her hard. His tongue pushed through the seam of her lips until she responded, unable to deny something that felt so right. Marko smiled against her lips, feeling David's annoyance at the show deep in his core. He wouldn't admit it to Sadie or David, but that had been Marko's point.

2.

"So, you and the little Peanut seem to be bonding," said David, lighting a cigarette as Marko approached.

Marko shrugged his shoulders, trying to make the entire thing seem casual. "What else are we supposed to do? I'm her sire, right?" He let his eyes linger on David's face for a moment before turning to Paul and Dwayne. "You guys eat yet?"

"We were waiting for you," David said, moving in between Marko and Paul. "Don't you think we should be bonding with our future pack mate too?"

"She's not ready for that," Marko said.

David let out a little chuckle. "Will she ever be?"

"I'm taking her to feed tonight. You guys go on."

David's smile fell away. "That's not how it works, Marko. If she's a part of this pack, then she feeds with this pack. And she gets her ass back to the cave where this pack fucking lives."

"You know," Paul suddenly stepped forward, trying to insert some peace before the conversation turned into an argument. "Maybe Marko has a point. Think about it, David. After everything we put that chick through, ain't no way she's going to come back to the cave before she's ready."

"If I want your opinion, Paul, I'll fucking point at you," David snapped.

Paul held his hands up and stepped back. "Whatever, man. I'm just trying to help."

"Marko is Sadie's sire," Dwayne stepped forward. "He decides what happens to her. That's how it works, right?"

David dropped his cigarette to the ground and stomped on it hard. He was _their_ sire. Hadn't he already made it perfectly clear to them that he wanted to taste Sadie's blood, and they were supposed to be instrumental in helping him reach that goal? Instead, they were siding with Marko and throwing David's power completely off balance.

"Look," Marko finally said, soft eyes on David. "She's just not ready. Come on, man. You owe me a chance to try and make this right." He moved closer to David, so that he could look into his eyes, hoping he could make him understand. Yes, he was furious with David for trying to deceive him, but at the same time he wanted desperately to make things right for all of them. Marko still had no idea how he would ever juggle his pack and Sadie when he knew the two could never go together. He needed time to teach her, to get to know her, and then he would know what to do.

David looked over Marko's shoulder and smirked. "Well, you're right about one thing, Marko. You definitely need time to learn how to control your childe."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

David's lips curled into a smirk. "It means she took off."

Marko turned over his shoulder, eyes trained on the spot where he had told Sadie to wait. David was right, she was gone, and Marko could feel the panic in him rising. "Dammit!"

Paul scratched at his head, the immortal youngest, and said, "Um, I think I just felt her shift."

Marko paused and it took only a second to know Paul was right. Sadie had shifted, which meant she was about to feed. "Fucking hell!" Marko growled, gripping the curls on his head.

"Do you want me to help you find her?" asked Dwayne, still so calm even as a shit storm was growing around him.

"No," Marko mumbled, already heading back to his bike. He could feel she was close. When he mounted his bike he took one last look at his pack as they laughed amongst themselves and began to disappear into the crowd. At that moment every part of him wished he was with them.

3.

The night had started out clear and windless but Sadie could feel the turbulence of a storm brewing in the distance. She knew Marko was close, just like she had known he would find her when she left the boardwalk and followed two men down the beach. Sadie had listened intensely to their conversation, some inner beacon honing in on them as they discussed the heroin in their pockets they would be selling that night. This was her chance to feed and to rid the boardwalk of some unsavory characters at the same time.

At first the men had not wanted to leave with her, more inclined to do their deal in a shadowy back alley behind The Big Dipper. Sadie had convinced them with a bat of her eyes and slid into the back of their car with a smile on her face. They weren't much older then she was, but already they had mastered the art of the drug deal. As she listened to them talking back and forth she realized she could also read their minds. It was as though there were five people in the car instead of just three.

They were concerned that the police were on their tail. Four heroin deaths had all been linked to the same batch on the boardwalk, the latest victim a sixteen year old boy, and the two mean in the front seat knew the heroin had been theirs. Yet they were still willing to sell it to her. Sadie knew they needed to die in order for others to live. As her stomach grumbled she knew she was doing the world a great favor.

Their deaths had not been painless and they had not been quick. While she was drinking one the other had started tearing off down the beach screaming for help. In the end she drank him too and when the deed was done there was nothing left but two shriveled junkies and the death powder in their pockets.

The wind picked up and the rain had started just as she was disposing of body number two. Taking her cue from Marko, she had drug the bodies into the water until it was up to her chin and then just let them go, watching as the current carried them away. As she walked back to the beach she saw the headlight of Marko's bike separating the darkness. Sadie readied herself for whatever was about to take place. She knew all too well the monster Marko could suddenly become, the only difference now was that they were playing on the same field, and Sadie was a worthy opponent.

"What the fuck, Sadie!" His voice boomed over the sound of the thunder and rain as he dismounted his bike and stalked his way toward her. "What part of stay put did you not understand?"

"I was hungry," she said, jutting out her lower lip like a solemn child. "I couldn't wait for you to finish your fight with David."

He shook his head, beads of rain clinging to the honey blonde curls. "It wasn't a fight, Sadie. It was a conversation and I told you to stay there. I mean, you want me to trust you and let you go off on your own but then you go behind my back and do this shit."

"I don't want you watching me feed!" She knew Marko wasn't stupid. He would pick up on her master plan before she finished choosing her marks, and then he would stop her. Bad guys looked out for other bad guys didn't they?

He couldn't help but laugh. "Why? What's the big deal?"

She turned her back on him and stared at the raging ocean, purple waves rising high into the air as the storm grew stronger. Sadie knew it was more than just a fear that Marko might stop her from feeding only on those she thought were deserving of punishment that had her wanting to feed on her own.

"This isn't what I want to be," she said, realizing, maybe for the first time since she had completed her turn, that it was the complete truth. "I know I have to feed. I know I have to kill if I want to live." She looked back over her shoulder and met his eyes. "But that doesn't mean it's what I want, Marko. I need this part of my life to be just mine. I don't want to share it with you."

It was the truth, maybe even truer then the plan behind her kills. Sadie had become a monster, a shadow hiding from the light, and those moments when she took something out of the world needed to be her burden alone. When the hunger took her over and she unleashed the vampire nestled within, it felt like a euphoric release in the moment. When it was over though, Sadie was left to stare at the destruction of her need, and as terrible as the people she had killed were, they were still living, breathing humans. The twin wants inside her were tearing her apart. Her want for Marko, to have him beside her, guiding her through the darkness and her need to be away from the unnatural existence she now claimed.

Marko took a step toward her, meeting her at the point where the surf was flowing over his boots and caressing his ankles. "Tell me what you want me to do, Sadie," Marko pleaded.

She dropped her head and shook back the tears. Sadie didn't know what she wanted from Marko anymore then she knew what she wanted from herself. It was all still so new; this life she had been thrust into was only supposed to be make believe. How could she accept something that had always been revealed to her as fantasy?

"What do you want from _me_, Marko? Do you want me to be yours, or do you want me to belong to your pack?"

"It's not that easy. I never wanted to be a sire, never! I don't know how to be here for you."

"But you are," she said softly. "You're here right now."

He reached out and grabbed her gently by the neck, drawing her to him so that he could press his lips against hers. There were no words he could find, even in the vast vocabulary he had acquired throughout the years, that could tell her how he was feeling. Marko only knew how to show her what he wanted. In that moment, the two of them standing beneath a rain drenched sky, the ocean dancing beside them, he only wanted her.

She kissed him back with a need that he could feel all through him. Her fingers clutched his jacket tight, drawing him farther into her kiss. Marko closed his eyes, wanting only to feel her, to know that she was his and would never belong to anyone else. When they finally separated she was smiling up at him. He caressed her cheek softly, holding her eyes and refusing to release his gaze. It was a moment he thought he would never have again after David bestowed upon him the gift of his immortal blood. Marko had been with girls, had enjoyed the soft feel of their skin against his, but they never lasted. Sadie had outlasted them all, even Mary Ann.

"What do we do now?" she asked, leaning into him and resting her cheek against his chest, letting out the softest of sighs as his arms wrapped around her.

"We can do anything and we can go anywhere," he said. "There's no place we can't go."

"Where do you go?"

Marko kissed the top of her head. He could smell the blood of her prey still in her hair. "Do you want me to take you to my favorite place?"

She leaned back and looked up at him. "Do they ever go with you?"

He knew she was talking about the boys. Slowly he shook his head and said, "No. It's just mine."

"Yes. I want to go."

He stepped back from her, and with his eyes still locked on her face, removed his jacket and tossed it onto the sand. His lips curled into a grin as he reached down and slid off his boots, then unbuttoned his jeans. Marko could see the apprehension in her eyes, but he could also see the excitement. When he was down to his boxers he pointed at her. "Your turn."

Sadie reached down and gripped the hem of her shirt before pulling it over her head. She kicked off her shoes and then slipped off her jeans before throwing them all onto the pile of Marko's clothes. She raised her brow and waited for him to make his next move.

"Give me your hand."

She slipped her hand into his and let him lead her farther into the water. "Wait," she said, as the water reached just under her chin. "I can't swim."

He couldn't help but laugh. "It's okay, Sadie. You won't drown."

"What about sharks?"

Marko shook his head. "You don't have to be afraid of anything in this world. Everything fears you."

She swallowed hard, her eyes looking around at the choppy, white capped seas. Thunder was coming in closer intervals and more than once she could see a fork of bright lightening in the distance. She was about to tell him she wanted to go back when his hands wrapped around her waist and drew her close.

"Trust me," he whispered against her ear.

He felt her legs wrap around him as her arms encircled his neck and she melded her eyes with his. "I trust you." And she did.

Marko pulled them both under the surface, his arms cradling her as he swam farther and farther from shore. At first he could feel her human instincts kick in as she began to panic for a breath. He held her closer, never breaking eye contact, until she suddenly seemed to realize that she didn't need air at all. When her lips broke apart into a smile, Marko unwound her arms from around his neck and held onto her hands.

Sadie marveled at everything around her. The fish she could see swimming around them, sensing their predatory natures and looking for an escape. She lifted her eyes and could see the surface above her, lightening brightening up the darkness around them every few minutes so that she could see the brightly colored aquatic life that had now joined them. It was a world she had only ever seen in books and National Geographic specials.

Marko swam circles around her, his fingers caressing her bare skin before he pressed his lips to hers. They swam farther until there was no up and no down. There was only the vast ocean and its never ending promise. Marko turned a somersault, like a kid enjoying a new pool and Sadie smiled wide, elated at seeing him as more than just a monster. He was her companion. For always now.

It was hours and hours of magic, like a dream that had no sense of realism, but somehow still made sense. As an eel swam past, its body undulating against the current, Marko reached out and took the creature in his hands. Sadie watched with amazement as the eel struggled for only a moment before it nuzzled its head against Marko's shoulder, seeming to sense no danger, as Marko held it like an old friend. He looked at Sadie, his eyes encouraging her to come closer. He released the eel and Sadie felt it in her hands moments later, the soft velvety exterior silky against her fingers. It was a moment she realized would never have been hers if not for Marko and his gift, even if he had never meant for her to have it. Sadie released the eel and it disappeared back into the depths. She reached for Marko and drew him close, her hands cradling his face as she pushed her lips to his, a silent thank you she knew she would never be able to say out loud.

When they both sensed the late hour they surfaced together and laughed all the way back to shore.

"So, that's your special place, huh?" Sadie asked as she began to redress.

"It's not just mine anymore," he smiled. "It can be ours."

The rain had stopped, leaving only a pleasant mist hanging on the air. Sadie looked back at the water, the waves calmer and the moon beginning to peak out from the departing clouds. "Do you really want to share this with me?"

"I'm yours as much as you're mine, Sadie. I want to share everything with you." The words felt wrong as he said them. He wanted to share these things with Sadie. The secrets he kept from the others because they seemed so wrong in the face of the demons they really were. Maybe he was afraid David would laugh at him if he knew Marko liked to swim beside dolphins and explore the sea. The truth was, Marko was afraid to find out.

"What if you weren't my Sire? If it had been Max's blood or even David's. Would you still want me with you?"

"It _is _my blood," he said, not wanting to discuss the unpleasantries of what ifs.

"I want to hunt and feed on my own, Marko. I want you to help me understand this life, but I still need to be my own person."

Marko's soft eyes never left her face. "So, we find a way to make it work." He understood her need to not share everything with him. The truth was, there were parts of him he could never share with her. "We better get back," he told her, slipping his arms into his jacket. "Sun is coming soon."

Sadie felt the finality of the conversation like the slamming of a door. She knew it would come up again and again, but for now it was done. As Marko sped down the beach back toward the woods Sadie clung to him tighter then was necessary. Somewhere in the distance she thought she heard Sarah calling her name. It was too late for that sweet voice to find her. Sadie was already gone.


	18. Chapter 18

**_Thanks again to everyone who has left me feedback. You inspire me to keep going with this story, so thank you so much! I look forward to reading all of your insights and comments. ~Stormy~_**

1.

They were still laughing when they got back to the bunker, riding high on the shared experience of exploring the ocean depths. As soon as they were off the bike Sadie had her arms around Marko's neck, rising on her tip toes so she could press her lips to his. He held the back of her head, his fingers spreading through her hair as he slid his tongue into her mouth. He hadn't fed, but Marko knew he could hold off until the next night. The hunger was there, but it was eclipsed by his hunger for her.

Their kisses never broke as he led her backward down the bunker steps and slammed the door shut behind him. Morning was a few hours away and Sadie could feel her body getting heavier by the second. Still, she was not ready to end that night unless she did it in Marko's arms.

They stumbled into the bedroom, fumbling with the others clothes as their heavy breaths filtered into the silence. When they were down to their underwear Marko wrapped his arms around Sadie and pushed her gently down onto the bed. She looked up at him with eyes that begged him not to stop. Marko rid himself of the last of his clothes and slowly laid his naked body over hers. He kissed her neck gently, his arms holding her close as she arched her back and let out a long satisfied sigh.

He gripped her breasts in both hands, kneading them as he licked and nibbled the side of her neck. Each moment that passed made them both grow hotter for the final act, but Marko wanted to elongate the moment. The only time he had ever been with Sadie she had been drunk and he had been unsure about her. There was no part of him that held any trepidation anymore. It was more than just his blood inside her, more than the way she tasted on his tongue. Sadie was like him, she had crossed over into the darkness and while she hadn't done it willingly, Marko could see how she was adjusting to that part of herself. She wore the darkness in a way that told him she had always been meant for this world. Just like David had said Marko was.

Sadie lifted her body off the bed enough that she could reach behind her and unhook her bra. He gently pulled it away from her body, holding her gaze as he slowly lowered his mouth to one pink nipple. She sucked in a breath as he flicked the little nub with his tongue then gently gripped it between his teeth. A moan of pleasure escaped her lips as he teased one nipple with his fingers while his mouth suckled and laved the other.

"Marko," she breathed his name, her head falling back into the pillows as her hips lifted in offering.

He kissed his way down her body, gripping the sides of her panties between his fingers before pulling them down her legs. Sadie's hand touched the top of his head, fingers gripping the honey curls as she spread her legs and welcomed him to give her something she had never taken from anyone else. The first tentative lick of his tongue made Sadie flinch and her fingers clutch his hair tighter. He took his time, kissing and licking until her entire body was covered in a fine sheen of perspiration and her body was trembling from one orgasm after the other.

Marko let his tongue trace a wet trail from just below her belly button, over the soft curve of her belly and through the center of her breasts all the way to her lips. She accepted his kiss, not even flinching at the taste of herself on his tongue. Those parts of Sadie's past, her uncertainty and fear of her own sexuality had dissolved inside her. Her body was Marko's now. His blood was her life and she would never again deny him any part of her.

With their eyes still locked on one another, Marko reached between their bodies, gripping himself as he placed his tip at her warmth. With agonizing slowness he pushed his way inside her until there was no space left between them. She pulled her knees higher, wanting and needing to feel him deeper. He panted against her lips as he began a slow rhythm, watching the expressions on her face change as each thrust into her body seemed to find some new unclaimed spot.

Sadie closed her eyes and licked at her lips, feeling that tightening in her stomach that signified the impending release she was aching for. His hips began to move faster, his hands gripping her hair as his hot breath warmed her cool lips.

"Look at me," he breathed hard. Her eyes fluttered open and looked at him in a way no one else in his human or immortal life ever had. "Come with me," he said, his voice almost pleading.

His thrusts grew harder and stronger. She held him close, sweet moans of want escaping her like smoke rising from a fire. Sadie's mind was everywhere, breaking apart and scattering into the emptiness as she lost herself in the moment. She was clutching him to her, so afraid he might suddenly let her go. Her eyes focused on the shadows over his shoulder, the way they blended into the walls in shapes that soon took on a form.

There was a woman standing in the corner, watching them. Sadie could not see the accents of her face, only the gleam of her eyes and the outline of her long dress. Sadie's fingers dug into Marko's back as he pounded against her, breathing hard in her ear as his climax approached.

"Come with me, girl," he breathed against her ear.

She could not tear her eyes away from that shadowy figure but her body could not ignore Marko's command either. With one last hard push, Sadie felt the orgasm ripple through her, and the moan Marko sang into her ear was heavenly.

The woman stepped out of the shadows so that she was now at the end of the bed, staring down on Marko and Sadie with eyes that were narrowed in anger. Sadie held Marko tighter as she stared at the woman, her eyes focusing on the wet hair and the beads of water that shimmered in the darkness. Something about the woman terrified Sadie. It wasn't like seeing Sarah or Hayden. It wasn't even like seeing all those dead people in the cave. There was something about this woman that had every part of Sadie frozen with fear.

Marko slowly withdrew himself from her body, immediately missing the warmth of her. When he looked down on Sadie she was staring into the darkness with wide, fearful eyes. "What is it?" he asked, alarmed and immediately on the defensive. He followed her gaze but saw nothing.

Sadie swallowed the lump that had built up in her throat. The woman had blended back into the shadows, disappearing before Marko had looked her way. It didn't matter; Sadie knew she was the only one cursed with the ability to see the dead. A terrible affliction she had never even known she was in possession of until the blood had awakened it.

"Nothing," she said, forcing a smile as she lifted her head off the pillow and pressed her lips against his.

He settled in beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back into his body as it melded around her. "If there's something wrong you can tell me," he said, placing soft kisses against her shoulder. "I don't want you to keep anything from me."

"Honestly, it's nothing."

"Sadie, I'm sorry." The moment he said the words, Marko wished he could take them back. He shouldn't have to be sorry for the things he had done to her before he knew it was his blood that had brought her to life. But he _was_ sorry, and he needed her to know it.

Sadie turned her body so that she was facing him, his hand resting on her hip, fingers tracing patterns without even realizing it. She looked into his eyes, and for the first time she believed him. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him toward her for a kiss. "Don't do that," she said. "I don't want to spend forever going back and forth with apologies."

"But I am sorry," he insisted. "For everything."

Sadie closed her eyes. She could see Hayden in her mind, those final moments when the monster had taken her life and threw the empty shell away like it was nothing. Sadie did not want to believe that monster was Marko. It couldn't be the Marko she was lying beside now. She cared too much for this person for him to be anything else but hers.

"I know," she sighed. "But I don't want to talk about it." She met his gaze and touched his cheek gently. "I don't ever want to talk about that again."

"Part of me hates him for not telling me." He thought about David and the others, wondered what they were doing at that moment without him. "The other part is so fucking grateful for the chance."

Sadie rolled over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. "I can't even grasp it," she said. "Forever. It's impossible to believe it can really last that long."

"It won't always feel like that. Soon you'll measure time in a different way."

She nodded. It made sense. Like everything else in life, this would be a slow adjustment, but eventually it would become a second nature and her brain would no longer hurt as she tried to imagine a life that had a beginning but no end.

"I need you to do something for me, Sadie," Marko said. "Something important."

She turned her head to look at him and said, "What?"

Marko sat up and looked down on her. Sensing the gravity of the conversation they were about to have, Sadie sat up too so she could face him directly.

"Your parents have been calling up to the video store. They want to talk to you or they're going to come to Santa Carla. We can't have that. I need you to go see them."

"And tell them what?"

"That you're okay," he said, taking her hand in his. "That you love them but you won't see them again."

There was a strange stab of sudden sadness that overwhelmed Sadie. She had never been close to her parents, always feeling like she was a sorry substitute for the daughter they had lost. Still, they were her family and the idea that they had been seeking her out made her feel almost happy. What would it do to her parents to lose another child? Even if it was a child they had in many ways already abandoned.

"So, I won't see them again." That made sense. Sadie was going to stay the way she was right then forever. Her parents would grow older, withering with age until they eventually faded. Obviously she would have to amputate her physical presence from their life. "But I can still call, check in with them and stuff."

Marko shook his head. "No, Sadie. It's goodbye, forever."

"But they're my parents, Marko. I know I can't see them but you can't really expect me to never talk to them again." She felt strangled by the thought.

"You're not the Sadie you used to be. That girl is dead. There's no room in this life for the one you used to have. It sucks, I know. But that's the way it has to be."

She didn't know whether to be angry with Marko, or sad at the idea of losing her parents. "You make it sound so easy."

"No. I know it's not easy. It still has to happen, though." He cupped the back of her neck and pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll get you through this. Trust me."

Trust. Sadie had relinquished her belief in that word. Even as she had accepted Marko as her sire she could not forget those times the vampire had asked the mortal Sadie to trust him. She had trusted him and Max implicitly and they had led Hayden to her death and Sadie into a cursed existence of eternal blood lust. Whatever Sadie had once believed trust to be had died when she did.

"I'll go tomorrow," she sighed.

He smiled, pleased with how simple it had been for her to accept, and kissed her lips softly. "I'll take you."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "This is something I am doing by myself. I have to."

There it was again, that damn stubbornness and independence Marko knew he would be fighting forever. He got off the bed and grabbed for his discarded boxers. "I'm taking you," he told her as he slipped them back on. "We're not fighting about this."

"You ask me to trust you but why don't you trust me?" It was an honest question she wanted an honest answer to. "These are my parents you're asking me to never see again, the least I'm owed is a chance to say goodbye in private."

Marko gripped his hair in frustration. "You still don't get it do you? You are not Sadie Daniels anymore. Whatever you think you feel for your parents isn't real. You'll take one look at them, smell their blood, hear their beating hearts and kill them before they finish saying hello. I'm going to be there so you don't make some epic mistake I can't save you from."

"And you don't get it either," she huffed, getting off the bed and padding across the carpet straight out the door.

Marko followed her, his eyes watching as she stood naked in the center of the living room with tears in her eyes. "What don't I get, Sadie? Enlighten me."

"I am not you!" she yelled. "I know I could never hurt my parents or anyone else I love. You were already a dark heart, Marko." She could see the way he flinched when she said the words, and she could see the anger building in him as his eyes slowly simmered into an amber wave. Still, she couldn't stop herself. She needed him to understand, even if that understanding came at a price for her. "I'm not going if you insist on going with me." There was a finality in her tone that she hoped resonated with him. Sadie could feel his anger growing; his boiling blood was pulsing inside her, warning her to back off.

She took a breath and started past him toward the bathroom. She was almost to the hallway when he grabbed her hard by the arm and pulled her into him. "Why do you do this?" he growled. "Why can't you just accept the way things are?"

Her eyes danced over his face as she searched for the right words. "Because, I'm not you and you're not David." His grip on her arm loosened and she stepped away from him before he could grab her again. "You don't have to do things just like he does, Marko. I'm yours and we can have our own life."

"He's my sire," he said, his voice gravelly and low. "They are my pack."

"But they're not mine and they never will be." She looked away from him and shook her head. "That's the truth isn't it? They never wanted me to be there and neither did you. This was all Max's idea and if David hadn't slipped me your blood you wouldn't care what I did."

"But it wasn't Max's blood," he said, stalking toward her. "It was mine. _You _are mine, Sadie and nothing is ever going to change that. I am taking you to your parents tomorrow and you are going to say goodbye." He saw the way she rolled her eyes like a petulant child who doesn't take their parents threats seriously. Marko hated that she was forcing him to stake his claim to her in such a way, but she had to know that he was above her and always would be. "We do it my way or I kill them to stop them from fucking things up. Take your pick."

Sadie's mouth opened to protest but Marko had already turned his back on her and was heading into the bedroom. The door slammed hard behind him making her flinch. She wanted to follow him, to argue her point until he finally relented, but she knew that wasn't an option she would win. The sun was coming and her body was shutting down even as she stood there in the hallway. Sadie stumbled her way back into the living room and collapsed on the sofa. There was no way either of them could sleep side by side that night when they both knew what lay ahead.

2.

Marko pulled his bike in front of the blue house Sadie had grown up in. She had sulked the entire ride and as he helped her down off the bike and she snatched her hand away, he knew she wasn't done.

"Just so you know," she said as they headed up the walkway, "my parents are going to hate you."

Marko couldn't help but laugh. "And I care why?"

Sadie ignored him as she pressed her finger against the doorbell. Inside she was hoping that her parents weren't home, that they had gone out and she could prolong the inevitable. Hope wasn't on her side as she heard the sound of footsteps shuffling toward the door and her father's cough as he approached. When the door swung open he took one look at Sadie and his eyes lit up. "We've been calling," he said, the smiling eyes replaced with disappointment. "For weeks we've been calling, Sadie."

"I know and I'm sorry. I've just been really overwhelmed."

Her father looked at her for a long time, his eyes scrutinizing her and seeming to sense a change in her. It wasn't until Marko cleared his throat that Mr. Daniels seemed to notice him. "Who is this?" he asked, looking from his daughter to the misfit standing behind her.

"This is Marko," Sadie said with no emotion.

"Nice to meet you," Marko smiled, reaching his hand out. Mr. Daniels shook it, but his eyes conveyed a very clear message. He didn't like Marko and he didn't like him standing beside his daughter.

"Can we come in?" Sadie could hear her mother in the kitchen and smelled the pork chops that had always been her father's favorite. "We won't stay long."

Her father gave a curt nod and opened the door allowing them inside. "Julia! Sadie is here."

Sadie's mother hurried out of the kitchen, flour and cooking oil staining the apron she wore. Sadie was shocked when she felt her mothers arms wrap around her, the most genuine hug Sadie had ever felt her mother give. "Oh, Sadie. I was so worried, baby. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Mamma." Sadie held onto her tight. "I'm sorry I didn't call."

"You're here now," she said, stroking Sadie's hair. "That's all that matters." Mrs. Daniels eyes fell on Marko and she clutched Sadie even tighter. They locked eyes and Marko let a smirk stretch his lips. For a moment she looked at him like she knew him, but after a few minutes it was only a look of disgust that he was with her daughter. Finally she let Sadie go, but held her hand as she acknowledged the stranger in her foyer. "Is this your boyfriend?"

"Yes," Marko smiled, cutting in before Sadie could deny it. "It's very nice to meet you. Sadie's told me a lot about the two of you."

"Funny," Mr. Daniels grumbled as he sat down in his lazy boy. "She hasn't told us one goddamn thing about you."

"Jim," her mother spat. "Now is not the time."

Her father laughed and reached for the can of Bud Light on the end table next to him. "Not the time? Look at her, Julia! _Really_ look at her. That is not our daughter. I don't know what this punk has done to her, but that is not Sadie!"

"Of course it's our Sadie." Mrs. Daniels turned back to her daughter and ran her hands gently over Sadie's hair. It was as she was looking in her daughters eyes that she noticed the change in them. "What's happened to you, Sadie?"

"Nothing," Sadie said shaking her head. "I just…"

Marko knew the conversation was never going to happen if he didn't put it into motion. There was no easy way for this to go down. He knew that a sweet and simple goodbye wasn't ever going to be possible, not with people like the Daniels. Marko would have to instigate the upheaval that would make Sadie's permanent departure the best thing for everyone.

"We're moving," Marko suddenly said, ignoring Sadie's wide confused eyes as she looked at him. "To the East coast and I brought Sadie here to say goodbye."

"What?" Her mother's eyes moved from Marko to Sadie. "What the hell is he talking about?"

Sadie shook her head and fumbled over her words. She had no idea what Marko was talking about.

"Moving," Marko repeated as he sidled up next to Sadie and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Splitting. Taking off. Starting a new life together. Whatever settles best for the two of you."

"Get your hands off my daughter."

Marko looked to Mr. Daniels who was rising from his chair with a fury that was filling the room rapidly. Marko couldn't help but laugh. He was still pissed at Sadie for her outburst the night before and fucking with her parents was the most fun he'd had in a long time.

"Excuse me?" Marko asked with feigned politeness.

Mr. Daniels walked right up to him and glared hard. "I said, get your hands off my daughter and get the hell out of my house."

"Don't you want to say goodbye to her?"

"Oh, she's not leaving," her father growled. "You are leaving right now but Sadie is staying."

Marko let out a laugh and looked back over his shoulder at Sadie. Her mother was holding onto her so tight it was leaving impressions on Sadie's skin. "Sadie, come here." When she didn't move Marko narrowed his eyes and said, "Now!"

Sadie untangled herself from her mothers grasp and walked to Marko with a pleading stare. She grabbed his arm and looked him deep in the eyes. "Please stop," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Marko. I'll do it right now. Just stop this."

"Tell Mommy and Daddy who you belong to."

She shook her head, trying to understand why he was punishing her so severely. "Marko, _please_."

"Sadie Marie," her father said, his hand reaching for her. "Come here. You don't have to be afraid, honey."

Marko turned to her father and smiled. "Look who suddenly cares," he laughed. "Neither of you seemed to care much for her before. Now all of a sudden you want to be a good parent?"

"Stop it," Sadie pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she clung to Marko's arm. "Let's go, please!"

"You lost her old man," Marko growled. "When you ignored her all her life and pretended she didn't exist you drove her right to me."

"Sadie," her mother was calling to her. "Come here sweetheart. He can't hurt you, baby. We'll protect you."

Marko turned on her mother, his eyes glowing, his fangs shimmering under the overhead light. Mrs. Daniels screamed and fell backward into the wall her hand over her heart. Sadie watched in muted horror as her father lunged for Marko but was stopped by the sudden force of Marko's fist in his face.

"What are you doing?" Sadie screamed, running toward her father when Marko grabbed her around the waist and held her.

"Trying to show you where you really belong," Marko snapped. "I can see right inside their heads, Sadie and so can you if you really try. They don't love you, they never really did. They only want you now because they don't want to be left alone."

"That's not true," she whispered, even as her eyes held her fathers and she saw inside his mind. She could hear her fathers inner thoughts, confused and mangled from his disorientation, but clear enough that Sadie could hear him say he wished she was Sarah instead.

Marko's hands gently cupped her face. "It is true. I'm here, Sadie. I won't abandon you like they did."

"Get out," her father mumbled from the floor. "Both of you get the hell out of my house."

Sadie turned her teary eyes on her father and said, "Daddy, I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen."

"We should have left you at the damn hospital," he growled, pulling himself to his feet with the aid of a chair. "Sarah left because of you." He looked over at his wife who had slid down to the floor clutching her hands to her chest, unsure of what she saw and not allowing herself to believe it anyway. "Get out of here, Sadie. You're no daughter of mine. All you've ever been is a burden."

Sadie couldn't see the smirk on Marko's face as she stared with disbelief at her father. He had drawn all those words from Mr. Daniels thoughts and siphoned them out through his lips. It didn't matter that he never would have really said those things to his only remaining child. The fact that he thought them at all seemed reason enough to make sure Sadie never felt an ounce of guilt for leaving them behind.

Sadie turned into Marko and clung to his shirt, her tears soaking him. He tipped her chin up and met her eyes. "Go wait for me," he said, gently. "It's okay."

"What are you going to do?"

"Erase their memories. Make them believe this was a happy ending where we all got what we wanted."

She could still hear her father mumbling behind her, horrible things that made Sadie feel like the smallest girl in the world. She took one last look at her mother and ran out the door, trusting Marko to finish whatever it was they had started.

Marko hurried his way through the process of implementing a new set of memories into the Daniels. They would forever believe that they had told Sadie not to come back and that she had agreed it was best for all of them. In their minds it had been a quiet and calm occasion and they would never think on it again.

As he was walking toward the door his eyes were drawn back to the fireplace. A picture on the mantle of a pretty girl with dark brown hair and round blue eyes. She looked so much like Sadie, but Marko knew this was the sister that had left and whose ghost had stayed behind to haunt the Daniels lives. He also recognized her as the artist on the beach; the one David had wanted so badly to turn.

"Fuck me," he whispered as he stared at the photo in awe. The necklace he had given Sadie was hanging around this girl's neck. He glanced over his shoulder, half expecting Sadie to be there. Did she know? He thought back to that night when he had taken her to the cave, when she had asked him if the necklace she wore had belonged to the artist David killed. "Fuck me," he said again, louder this time.

At that moment Marko was sure of only one thing. David could never know what that artist was to Sadie, or that Sadie knew it was David who had taken her sister from her. He didn't know what would happen if either of those things came to be, but he knew it could be nothing good. It was the first time Marko would hold onto something and keep it from his sire. And he would do it for his childe.


	19. Chapter 19

**Thank you again to everyone who reads this story. My appreciation knows no bounds. If any of you are reading VeritasDuchess's story ****_The Decadent Abandoned _****(and you should ;) Then you know that her story is in danger of being pulled from the site. I just wanted to let you know that if that should happen and both our stories disappear we will post them somewhere else. More than likely we will just open up a wordpress account and post them there, along with other stuff. So if one day we're not here just google the names of our stories and that should lead you to us. Hopefully we can both stay here and finish the ride, but you just never know. At any rate I hope you enjoy this chapter! Things are about to take a very sharp curve. ~Stormy~**

1.

David enjoyed interesting people, even when they were dead. He propped the woman up behind the wheel of her car, using her hair to hide the shredded side of her neck that he had just feasted on. He had first noticed her when they arrived at the boardwalk. Still feeling like Paul and Dwayne had turned on him where Sadie was concerned, he broke from his boys and took to the boardwalk alone. Everything felt wrong as he walked through the crowds, hands in his pockets, his mind unable to focus on anything but Sadie, her blood and the upheaval she had caused in their lives.

David noticed the blonde as she was leaving a bar, having enjoyed a few cocktails with co-workers after a long shift at the hospital. Even from behind the window David could smell the disinfectant and sterilization on her scrubs. He watched her with a smirk, taking deep drags off his cigarette and biding his time until she was alone and walking back to her car. Just as she was preparing to leave a man near the bar began to wave his hands and a hysterical woman was screaming that her husband was choking. David watched with mesmerized eyes as the blonde hurried over and in only a few seconds had managed to save the mans life.

It amazed him how he was a walking form of death and she was an advocate for the advancement of life. Theirs was a match made in vampire heaven. To know that she had just saved someone from the clutches of death and was about to unknowingly walk into her own made David's mouth water.

"That was impressive," he said, as she exited the bar, the cheers of drunken patrons making her smile.

She looked up at him, at first unsure of his appearance, but soon smiling at him. "It was nothing," she said. "Heimlich maneuver. I learned it my first two weeks of nursing school."

"Well, I'm still impressed."

"Thanks."

They stood there for a moment in silence, the blonde still not sure if she was attracted to David or unnerved by him. Then he asked if he could walk her to her car, to make sure she got there safe and she was sold. He was a little put off by the fact that she had parked in such a populated spot with plenty of lighting, but a quick meal wasn't necessarily what he was after. When his thoughts entered her mind and she asked if he needed a ride, he accepted with a crooked smirk.

"What's it like?" David asked as she turned onto the main road. "Saving someone's life."

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I guess it feels pretty good."

He plucked the cigarette from behind his ear and lit it. She looked over at him with a wrinkled brow. "You don't mind do you?"

"Actually I do," she said, her tone both firm and apologetic at the same time. "Smoking causes cancer, and well, I am a nurse."

"That you are," he laughed, taking another drag and blowing the smoke toward her.

She turned her eyes back to the road. Her earlier apprehension returning as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. "Is your place close?"

"Very."

After ten minutes she seemed to realize that he had led her into a part of town she had never been before. Post war houses in varying stages of decay stood on either side of the road. People were sitting on their porches drinking cheap beer and watching as the little white Volvo passed, an advertisement that it was definitely in the wrong place.

"Turn down that road," said David, pointing toward a turn off that had no street sign.

She did as he said, pressing her foot against the gas a little harder, wanting him out of her car as soon as possible. She had to slam on her brakes to stop them from colliding with a chain link fence. Her eyes turned to him slowly, sensing that something was about to happen to her and none of it good.

"Please get out," she whispered, her bottom lip quivering.

David smashed the lit end of his cigarette into the dash and let the butt fall to the floorboard. "Have you ever seen someone die?"

"What?"

"You must have," David said, turning his body in the seat to face her head on. "Being a nurse means you must have seen someone die. You can't save them all."

Her head nodded slowly. "Yes, I've seen people die."

"How did it make you feel? You're supposed to be the instrument to help save them, so what's it feel like when you fail?"

"Why are you asking me these questions?" Tears dribbled down her cheeks as her hand reached slowly for the door handle.

"I'm a studier of human nature, sugar. Watching you save that poor schmuck at the bar tonight was…it was magical. I suppose I never really looked at life like that before. The only magic in life I ever saw before tonight was the beauty of it ending."

She took her chance and swung the door open, but David was quicker then she could ever be. He reached across her and slammed the door closed then clutched her face in both his gloved hands. "Don't hurt me," she pleaded, her heart beating so loud it was like a drum in David's ears.

"I don't want to," he said softly. "Death doesn't always have to be about pain. Sometimes it comes down to a choice."

Her eyes held his in a fearful stare. "What choice?"

"Do you want me to make this experience painful, or would you rather it be something else?" His lips curled into a grin as he added, "Something _magical_."

"I don't want to die," she said, trying to pull away from his grasp but finding herself frozen by his gaze. "No one wants to die."

"Sure they do," he smiled. "Look at all those people who throw themselves off the cliffs, too fed up with this bleak existence and its disappointments."

"I'm happy!" she insisted, her fingers around his wrist trying to yank his hands away.

David couldn't help but laugh. He could see right inside her head, and while she went to great lengths to appear happy, she was anything but. "Your fiancée fucking your best friend didn't make you happy." He watched the way her eyes widened with disbelief. "The credit card debt you're swimming in isn't making you happy either."

"How…how do you know about that?"

"I know everything, sugar."

Her eyes went from fearful to amazed in the span of a heartbeat. "Are you an angel?"

This really made David laugh, but he decided to play with the idea. "Fallen," he whispered, moving his lips to the side of her neck where he peppered her skin with gently kisses. He felt her relax and let go of her face so he could spread his fingers into her hair. The blonde let out the softest moan when she felt his tongue swipe against her skin. "Let me send you to your happy place."

When he sunk his fangs into her soft flesh she barely flinched. Sometimes David enjoyed the pain he inflicted more than he enjoyed the blood. Then there were times like this, where he found the person worthy of a departure that was graceful and erotic.

She wrapped her arms around him, clutching him tighter, moaning in his ear as his teeth dug deeper into her. When she was on the brink of death, her heart barely beating, he pressed his lips to hers and sent her into the beyond with a kiss. David had done her a favor, sparing her from anymore torment a human life would have caused her.

After he left her behind the wheel of her car and flew back toward the boardwalk, his mind returned once again to Sadie. He was missing Marko, missing him so much it created a pain that David had not experienced since before Max turned him. All he wanted was to taste that little bitch's blood. Couldn't Marko grant him that in exchange for all David had given him? He wouldn't even take that much from her, and of course he would share with the others. They were all deserving of the opportunity to explore their powers combined with hers.

David knew that Marko would never allow it. The bond between Sadie and Marko was unbreakable, and David had allowed it to cement itself when he slipped her Marko's blood instead of Max's. There had to be a way though and David was bound and determined to find it.

2.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Marko asked as he pulled his bike in front of Max's house.

"No," she said, laying her head on his back before unwinding her arms from around his waist and dismounting the bike. "This I definitely need to do by myself."

After the devastating goodbye at her parents Sadie had begged Marko to let her see Max. She needed to talk to him, to get the answers she was so desperate for. Why had he done this to her? Even from their spot at the end of the long walkway Sadie could hear the hum of soft jazz coming from Max's house.

"I'll be back later," he told her, cupping her chin so he could pull her in for a kiss. "Then we'll go get you some dinner."

Sadie's body stiffened and she saw the annoyance race across Marko's face. "How about I just meet you at the boardwalk later?"

Marko looked away from her with his jaw clenched. "Whatever, Sadie."

"Don't be mad at me, Marko. I thought you understood. I want to hunt by myself. It's just something I need."

Marko revved the engine and Sadie took a step back, afraid he might actually run over her feet in his angry retreat. "I'll see you later." He sped away and left her standing there, burned once again by his sudden shifting moods.

Sadie stood there for a long time, watching the sky darken and the ocean below the cliffs churn. She suddenly felt so lost. Her family was gone, her life had been transformed and the only friend she had left just sped away from her in anger. Deep inside her stomach growled, demanding its nightly dose of nourishment. She closed her eyes and willed the feeling away. Yes, she would feed. But she had more important things to attend to at that moment.

The long walk up to Max's front door seemed an eternity. When she finally went to ring the bell the door opened before she had the chance. Max looked down on her with the familiar bright eyes she had come to know.

"Peanut!" He reached for her, his smile fading as she stepped back from him. "I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I'm just so glad to see you."

Sadie looked down at the ground, still not comfortable with looking him in the eyes. "I just came to talk."

Max opened the door wider and stepped aside so she could cross the threshold. "Of course. Come on in."

The house smelled like fall. The scent of freshly carved pumpkins wafted in from the kitchen and on his coffee table Max had strewn Halloween decorations he was already preparing to put up at the store.

"It's not even October yet," she said softly.

"I like to get a jump on things. This is my favorite time of the year."

Sadie couldn't hold in her laugh. "A vampire who likes Halloween. Who would have thought?"

Max pointed to the sofa and Sadie took a seat. Max sat next to her, making sure there was a cushion of distance between them. "How are you?"

"I'm a vampire," she said, her eyes narrowing. "That's how I am."

Max took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this, Sadie. I hope you know me well enough to believe that."

"I don't know you at all. I don't think I ever did."

He shook his head and leaned toward her. "That's not true, Peanut. Everything I've done, I did because I care about you. I wanted you to have this gift, not curse you. This world is a miracle and I wanted to share it with you, because I care so much for you."

"Hayden is dead because of this gift," Sadie spat, angry tears welling up in her eyes. "She's dead Max and nothing you could ever give me will make that okay."

Outside Max could hear the wind picking up, the leaves of the tree outside the parlor window scraped ominously against the glass. He didn't know what to say to Sadie to make her understand why he had chosen her. She was still so new and fresh, her human emotions clinging to her and not wanting to let go. One day she would understand and she would forgive him, even thank him. But now…

Max got up off the sofa without a word and disappeared between the two sliding oak doors Sadie had entered the last time she had been there. When he came back out a moment later he was holding a photo album in his hands. He sat back down and ran his hands over the leather bound album with a soft smile.

"I remember when the camera came into being and photographs were born. It was such a momentous time for me. Finally, I could document the road of my life with a visual aid." He opened the book and let out a hearty laugh. "This is me," he said pointing to a small black and white photograph. "Shaking JFK's hand after his inauguration." Max looked over at Sadie and saw the intrigue in her eyes. He gave her a soft smile and she slowly scooted closer to him. When she looked at the picture she let out an audible gasp of disbelief.

"What an extraordinary man he was," Max said thoughtfully.

"What's it like? Living so long and seeing the world change so much."

Max lifted his eyes and thought about his answer. Were there words to even begin to explain what the dark gift had given him? "It's wonderful, Sadie. Truly a gift. But after a while it became a lonely world and that was when I met David."

Sadie shivered under the weight of his name. "There's something wrong with him."

Max chuckled a little and shook his head. "David took to being a vampire like a duck to water. I knew he would and I knew he would be a wild beast that I would have to try and tame. It took some time, but David learned control. He learned what it means to be an immortal in this world of temporary existence. I love him very much. Just like I love all my boys."

Sadie lifted her eyes to Max's face, surprised to see tears teetering on the edge of his lids. "Why did you do this to me, Max? Is it because you couldn't get inside my head?"

"No," he said very firmly. "I saw how special you were as a person. I've known so many humans and none of them carried your light. Yes, your abilities caught my attention but your heart captivated me. I wanted you to be my childe. To love you and give you all those things your parents didn't."

Sadie felt a stream of tears drop from her eyes. She wiped them away and swore she would release no more. "Why did you push me and Marko together?"

"I knew you would be drawn to him and him to you. The same things I saw in you are what David saw in Marko. Maybe those things are standing on opposite sides but they are still so similar. Marko has always been a shadow, darkness was apart of him the moment he was born. You were the light, as bright as the sun. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep you from him, so I just allowed it to happen as I knew it would."

"But you wanted it to be your blood I drank, not his. You used him to bait me, to keep me close."

"I gave you someone who could help you transition," he said. "You liked him, and I knew you would trust him in ways you might not be able to trust me. Yes, it should have been my blood but if David was going to play his dirty trick and slip you someone else's, then I am certainly glad it was Marko's."

Sadie let out a sigh and leaned back into the sofa. "I don't know how to do this, Max. I can feel my connection to Marko all the time. I know I'm bound to him forever, but he's bound to David." She turned to Max and leaned forward to fix the full weight of her gaze on his face. "I don't want to ever be in that cave."

"Sadie, the cave is where your pack is. It's where you belong."

She shook her head. "No it isn't. They aren't my pack. I belong to Marko, maybe, but I will never be like them." There was a pause before she said, "I want to stay in the bunker alone, Max. I want that to be _my_ cave. Just mine."

"Sadie, I…"

She reached out and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before she said, "Please. Give this to me. After everything it's all I'm asking."

"Oh my sweet girl," he said, reaching out to touch her cheek. "If it was my blood inside you I would give you anything and everything you want. But it is not my blood and you are not my childe. Marko will decide were you reside, Sadie. I cannot make that decision."

"I can't be there, not with them." She leaned her cheek into Max's hand, feeling suddenly like he was the only one who could make it all okay. "Will you talk to Marko?"

"Of course."

She sat back, still angry but somehow relieved to know he would always be there to help make things right. Sadie reached for the photo album. "I can't even imagine living in all these times," she said, flipping the page to see a photo of Max sitting behind the wheel of a 1928 Cadillac, a fedora on his head and a cigar between his teeth. "It's like a dream."

Max put his arm around her shoulder as they both settled into the moment, the past, for now at least, forgotten. "Do you recognize that man?" he asked, pointing to the squatty looking man beside him. Sadie shook her head. "That is Al Capone my dear girl. I thought about turning him at one time, but in the end I knew that one hellion in my brood was enough. I never saw Al again after this photo was taken."

"So weird," she mumbled, flipping the page again and stopping on a photo of Marko, David and Dwayne. They were sitting on the boardwalk railing, dressed in their 50's chic and smiling into Max's camera. The caption below the photo said it was 1959, and a sign behind them was advertising Billy Wilder's new film starring Marilyn Monroe_, Some Like It Hot_. "Where's Paul in these pictures?" she wondered.

"Paul is still very young, Sadie. David didn't turn him until 1967." Max flipped a few of the pages and then pointed at a photograph of the four boys standing next to the wharf with a man she immediately recognized.

"That's Jim Morrison," she said, laughing at the absurdity of the truth laid out in front of her. "You knew Jim Morrison?"

Max laughed with her. "The boys were very fond of him. Paul especially. This photo was taken just a year after Paul's turn. He felt very alone in his pack at that time. So young and green, always making David mad with one misstep after another." Max shook his head with a smile as he thought back on the days long passed. "He wanted David to turn Jim, maybe so Paul would have someone closer in age, in experience. David wouldn't do it."

"Why not?"

Max sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "David is a complicated creature, Sadie. Maybe he wanted to teach Paul a lesson, force his fledgling to grow up faster so he could be on the same level as his brothers. Or maybe David didn't see anything in Jim worth turning." Max took the book from her lap and closed it. "Sometimes I think I should have sired them all."

"Why didn't you?" she asked, turning her body to face him. "Why did you give them to David if it was a family you were trying to create?"

"Because he is my son. He wanted to be a sire and I wanted him to have it all."

Sadie looked at Max in a way she hadn't thought to look at him before. He loved his boys and he loved her just the same. Max was the father Sadie had needed for all those years and maybe losing her humanity was the price she had to pay to find him. She laid her head against his shoulder and felt him sigh with relief.

"I forgive you, Max."

"Thank you, Peanut. You can always come to me and I'll do anything I can to help you."

She looked up into his face. "Then talk to Marko. Make him understand that the bunker is the best place for me."

He gave a soft nod and kissed her forehead. "I'll do my very best."

3.

Marko felt his brothers were close as he sped down the beach. When he found them they were standing with a group of girls near a bon fire, Paul's arm wrapped tightly around his chosen meal. When he saw Marko ride up he gave a deep laugh and let go of the girl so he could run to meet Marko.

"Hey man, where's the little lady?"

Marko dismounted and happily took the joint Paul was offering. "She's bonding with Max."

Paul could sense that Sadie being with Max wasn't something that made Marko very happy and Paul was not the kind of vampire that could handle too much moodiness. "Fuck her," he laughed, throwing his arm around Marko's shoulders. "Let Max baby-sit her tonight and you stay with us. We're just about to really get this party going."

Marko looked over the three girls and felt hungry for them in more ways than one. They were all in bikinis, ample curves in all the right paces. "Where's David?"

Dwayne stepped forward and clapped Marko on the back. "He's out sulking somewhere."

"What's he pissed about?"

Paul and Dwayne shared a knowing look, but Dwayne then shrugged his shoulders and said, "You know, David. He's just feeling like Sadie is stealing you away and he knows he has no one to blame but himself."

Paul pointed to the dark haired girl he knew Marko was already zeroing in on. "Why don't you take tonight off from being Daddy, and enjoy that right there. Get laid and get fed. The best way to end the night."

At first Marko wanted to decline what the boys were offering him. A night like they used to share all the time before Marko had met Sadie in the video store. Sex and feeding was the ultimate high, and as he thought back to his little fledglings desire to feed on her own, he decided it was his right to do the same.

"Let's get back to the cave," Marko's voice was almost a growl.

"Now you're talking," Paul laughed, and danced his way back over to the girls to let them know the change of plans. Party girls were always easy to convince. A few minutes later they were climbing behind the boys on their bikes and tearing off into the night.

As the ride continued Marko could feel the girl behind him pressing her breasts against his back, squeezing her arms around his waist in a move designed to let him know she was a sure thing. That poor drunk beach bunny had no idea what was in store for her. The fuck of her life followed by the swiftest death. It seemed almost too good for a girl whose mind revealed to him that she stole money from her ailing grandmother's purse before heading to the boardwalk that night. Maybe he would prolong her death, bringing her to the edge and then drawing her back only to kill her all over again.

When they reached the cave there seemed to be no apprehension in any of the girl's eyes. They danced into the lobby, the flames from the lit barrels lighting up their curves and showcasing them in all the right places.

Paul danced with his blonde bunny as sounds of Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses filled the cave and echoed off the stone walls. Marko watched as the girl held Paul's gaze and made no move to stop his wondering hands as they untied her top and let the white polka dots flutter to the cave floor. "Damn you have amazing tits," Paul cooed, reaching out to cup them in his strong hands.

The girl giggled and slipped her arms around his neck as her eyes lit up. "Somebody is definitely ready to party."

The dark haired vixen moved toward Marko who had found a spot to lean against the fountain where he could witness the show. She smiled at him and leaned forward to press her lips to his. At the last moment her turned away from her, feeling like his kisses weren't to be shared with anyone else but Sadie. Damn her for following his mind even here. The cave was his sanctuary and he'd be damned if Sadie was going to change the way he had always enjoyed sex and then the feed. If she wanted to separate herself from him in her feeding rituals, he would do the same with her. He grabbed the girl by the back of her head and slammed his lips against hers. She whimpered, trying to push him back, but he wouldn't allow it. Once he slipped his tongue between her lips she let go of her uncertainty.

"What can I do to make you feel better, baby?" she cooed up at him.

He smirked down at her and undid the button on his jeans. "I'm sure you can think of something."

She licked her lips and slowly lowered herself to her knees. Marko was lost in his thoughts, wondering where Sadie was, what she was doing. He hadn't even realized that he had the beach bunny's hair gripped tightly in his hands until he pulled it with a snap.

"Take it easy," she said, half annoyed and half hurt.

"Sorry baby," he cooed. "You're just so sexy I couldn't stop my self." He smirked when he watched the smile resurface on her face.

"Well, just be gentle. We have plenty of time."

She took her time teasing him as he gripped her hair and closed his eyes, and once again his mind wondered to Sadie. When they were riding up to the bluff with their nightly snacks, he had felt Sadie shift and knew she had already fed. Now she was somewhere near the boardwalk, waiting for him.

Loud moans and squeals caught his attention and his eyes wondered to the corner of the cave where Dwayne was tangled up on the sofa with his girl. When he lifted his head from the girl's neck and looked over at Marko with a smile, he saw the blood staining Dwayne's lips and teeth. The sight of it made Marko's stomach clench with hunger. On the other side of the room Paul had his blonde on the cave floor, licking at her neck and pushing her into the stone without a care for the marks he was leaving behind. Besides, the blonde was enjoying herself, even encouraging Paul to take her harder and deeper. With a deep rumble of laughter Paul tore his fangs into the breasts he had admired so, stifling her pain filled scream with his hand over her mouth.

"Are you okay?" the girl on her knees in front of Marko asked. When he looked down at her she was wearing a frown. "If this isn't doing it for you, baby, we can try something else." She rose up to her feet and rubbed her hands along his chest, stroking him and planting wet kisses along his neck.

Marko gritted his teeth, wanting his hard on back so he could fuck and eat the way he always had. It was Sadie that was keeping him from indulging in the moment. Her connection to him wasn't so easy to severe, and as soon as he thought he had shut her out he could feel her all over again. Marko could sense those little tingles of fear that her sire wasn't coming back to her.

With a frustrated growl Marko felt himself shift and grabbed the girl by the back of her head. One look into those ocher eyes and she was shrieking, but her voice was silenced by the sharp fangs tearing into her neck and ripping it open. The blood pumped into him faster, strengthening him in more ways then one. He could sense Sadie even more now. It felt like she was moving fast and far away from him. Maybe she was flying. It stung a little that she might have learned to do it on her own, without needing his help.

He threw the dying girl in his arms to his feet and stepped toward the center of the cave. "Where is David?" Marko said loudly. He needed his sire. He needed someone to help make sense of the thoughts fluttering around in his head and the emotions he was experiencing, feelings he assumed he would never experience again.

Dwayne, who liked to take his time and enjoy his dinner, looked up from the unconscious, moaning girl beneath him and licked his bloody lips. "We told you. He's somewhere on the boardwalk."

"Just chill out man," Paul said with a laugh, his blonde date's blood sliding down the corners of his lips. "Come over here and I'll share this tasty piece of ass with you."

Marko shook his head. "No man, I gotta get back to Sadie."

"Do you ever plan on coming back to us?" Dwayne asked behind him.

Marko turned to look at him; the beam of moonlight slipping in from the top of the cave seemed to spotlight him. "Of course I'm coming back. We both are. I just need some time to help her adjust."

"Fuck that bitch," Paul said, abandoning his dying dinner and walking straight to Marko instead. "Stay here with us tonight. One night and you'll show that Peanut what she's missing when you're not there. It's the only way she'll ever learn to appreciate how fucking lucky she is to have you."

Marko closed his eyes and felt the connection to Sadie cut off almost completely. He could still feel her presence, like a gnat buzzing around his ear, but her near silence told Marko that she was back at the bunker now and probably climbing into bed wishing he was with her. If there was ever a time to teach Sadie a lesson on just how much more she needed him then he would ever need her, it was now.

"I'll stay," he finally said. Smiling as his brothers surrounded him with encouraging pats on the back.

"Feel like desert?" Paul winked.

Marko forced a smile and said, "Let's ride."

4.

Sadie stood alone on the pier, leaning against the railing and staring down into the ocean she had explored with Marko. She didn't want to admit that she missed him and as the hours passed Sadie somehow knew he wasn't coming back that night. It was up to her to find her way back to the bunker before the sun rose. A sudden shiver moved through her before she ever heard the words spoken behind her.

"Are you going to stand here all night?"

She turned over her shoulder and saw David standing there with a smile. Sadie immediately looked back at the water, wishing David away. She might have been a vampire now, but David still scared her.

"I'm just waiting for Marko," she said. "He's coming to pick me up."

David walked forward until he was standing beside her, leaning against the railing with his elbows. He could feel her flinch a little and it made him smile. If he was ever going to taste the blood inside her that smelled so damn good, he was going to have to change his approach. Maybe Marko wouldn't give any part of Sadie up, but that didn't mean she wouldn't give it up herself. All she needed was a little nudge in the right direction.

"Sugar, the sun is rising in three hours. You gotta know he's not coming back tonight."

She turned her eyes to him. "How do you know that? He'll be here. He said he would."

David gave her a little frown and shook his head with what he hoped would convey disappointment. "Sugar, Marko's with the boys. They're feeding together right now and I can promise you that he won't be back here before the sun rises." When she looked away from him he couldn't help but smirk, pulling his lips back into a pout as soon as he sensed her gaze moving back to him. "Let me take you home," he said, softly.

"I'm not going back to that cave," she spat.

"I meant your home, Sadie. The bunker." When she looked up at him he knew he had her. Of course she didn't want to be in that cave surrounded by the memory of her murdered friend and four vampires who weren't necessarily the most welcoming of house mates. David may not be able to read her mind, but he could read her face. All those years of studying expressions and body language had taught him more than Sadie would ever know.

"Marko won't let me," she said, even though she hadn't formally asked him, Sadie knew he would say no. He wanted to be back in that cave by the sea, surrounded by his blood brothers, his childe forced to be by his side. "He'll make me go back there."

David moved a little closer to her. "I'll talk to him if you want me to. If being in the bunker makes you feel safe, that's where you should be. You are Marko's childe, but at some point you will have to be your own vampire."

"Is that how you feel about Marko? You're his sire but at some point he has to break free?"

David had to think about his answer before he let it loose. In the end he decided Sadie would see through him if he lied, so he told her the truth. "Marko will always be mine, Sadie. He'll always desire to be with me and the boys because that's the link in our blood. His link to you is different. In some ways it might be stronger. I know how I feel about the boys, so I know how he feels about you."

Sadie looked down at the water and closed her eyes. A huge part of her wanted to be in that bunker alone, to have it be her own little piece of eternity she didn't share with anyone else, even Marko. The other part of her dreaded the thought of all that time by herself. She hadn't seen Hayden or Sarah in a while and part of her wondered if they would ever come back to her now that she had crossed over from half-mortal, to complete vampire. Sadie felt David's arm slip around her shoulders. It surprised her when she leaned into his embrace and surprised her even more when she wound her arms around his waist and let him hold her. Marko wasn't there nor was Max, and Sadie needed someone to hold her, just so she didn't feel so alone and separate from the space around her.

"Come on," he said, smiling to himself, pleased with how easy it had been to goad her to his side. "Let me take you back."

She nodded against him. "Thank you."

David took his time riding back to the bunker, deliberately keeping his speed at a pace that would mean the sun wouldn't be too far behind them when they finally reached the woods.

When he pulled up next to that secret door in the ground he got off the bike first and when he offered her his hand, she took it with a grateful smile. Inside he was congratulating himself for winning her trust so quickly. He was banking on that trust to get him an invitation inside the bunker.

"Thanks for the ride."

"No problem," he said, pulling open the door for her. He lifted his eyes to the sky and furrowed his brows. Sadie noticed the sudden look of weariness.

"What's the matter?"

"I didn't realize it was so late," he said and looked down on her. "I don't think I have enough time to make it back."

Sadie bit her lip. "You could leave your bike here," she said, trying to find a way around having him sleep the day away in her sanctuary. "Fly to the cave."

David tried not to snarl his answer and instead made up something he knew she wouldn't be able to disprove. "I haven't fed," he said, looking down at his feet and hoping he was making his face innocent enough. "I don't have the energy to fly back." He put his head to his hands. "Shit, I can't believe I let this happen."

Sadie looked at him for a while. He had come to her when Marko didn't. She might have stood at that pier all night, frying in the sun when it rose because she had no where close to go. David had protected her when Marko hadn't and Sadie wondered if all her misgivings about David had been wrong.

"You can stay here," she finally said, but added rather quickly, "on the couch."

David nodded with a smile. "Thanks, Sadie."

He followed down the steps behind her, amazed and elated that his plan had actually worked.


	20. Chapter 20

**_Can't believe we're already at Chapter 20! There's a lot more to this story though, so I hope you'll stick with me. One of the most fun things about writing this story is playing with the duality of the vampires. On one hand they are vicious killing machines with little to no regard for human life, on the other there is a sliver of humanity still nestled inside them, I imagine always fighting to get out. So seeing them struggle with that is interesting and really lends a lot in terms of the writing and plotting. Thanks again to all of you for taking the time when you're done to share with me your thoughts. It honestly is the most gratifying thing for a writer to hear first hand what a reader has taken away from their words. As always, I am eternally appreciative. ~ Stormy~_**

1.

David closed the door behind them, watching Sadie with hungry eyes as she began to stumble each step she took, the sun's coming rays pulling the new vampire toward sleep. David would be able to stay awake until the sun was peeking over the clouds, which gave him plenty of time to take advantage of the moment.

"Are you okay?" he asked, rushing forward when she started to fall toward the floor. He caught her around the waist and she clung to him.

"It hits so fast," she said, trying to stand.

"Let me take you to bed," he smiled, starting to lift her into his arms.

"No," she mumbled, pushing her hands weakly against his chest. "I can do it."

David chuckled to himself as Sadie's body went limp and her eyes started rolling back in her head. She was fighting the sleep even as it pulled her under. Maybe she had seen the gleam in his eyes right before. David hoped she had. It made what was about to happen all the more special for him.

David scooped her up into his arms; a smirk pulling his lips as he effortlessly carried her to the bedroom. He laid her gently across the mattress like the alter it was, presenting Sadie's body to him, a beautiful ripe offering. He nudged her side with the back of his hand and smiled when she didn't even flinch. That was the thing about the death sleep. Once it had you, nothing could pull you from its grasp. Her blood was calling to him so loudly that David brushed at his ear, knocking loose the cigarette he had tucked behind it.

He knelt down and picked it up off the ground, placing the butt between his lips and striking a match along the wrought iron bedpost before letting the flame kiss the tip. He inhaled deeply, and looked over the bedroom Marko had been calling home. It was domesticated, like Max, and so unnatural to the world Marko and the boys had been living in. He felt disgusted by the place; it went against everything raw that resided inside him.

David shrugged off his trench coat and let it fall to the floor beside the bed. He drew his black t-shirt up over his head and removed any possibility that a trace of her blood might get on him; not that he planned on wasting a single drop.

He rounded the bed and reached out to run his finger along Sadie's cheek, her skin as cool and smooth as his own. David let the cigarette dangle from the curl of his lips as he leaned one hand down on the mattress and allowed the other to caress her neck, encouraging the thick blue vein beneath her skin to rise to the surface. There was a flurry of excitement that rippled through him, touching something he knew belonged to Marko, a prize his childe never intended for David to enjoy. He snickered, watching her body for any subtle reaction. There was nothing, no recoil from his touch, or even the slightest tremor that she even knew he was standing over her. He took a long last drag and looked around the room for somewhere to extinguish the cigarette. He lifted the flowers from a vase on the dresser, dropped the butt in the water where it snuffed out with a fizzle, then replaced the stems.

He walked slowly back to the bed, his blue eyes locked on her face. It was astonishing to him that she could look so innocent. David knew first hand what she was capable of, that she had killed a man earlier that night, and yet her sweet face showed no signs of the monster inside her.

David leaned into her, ghosting his nose across her skin and inhaling Sadie's scent. She smelled so much like that artist on the beach, sweet like ripe summer strawberries, salty like the ocean that still clung to her skin. It was the promise of power beneath those subtle scents that had David's body tighten with arousal as he ached to taste her.

He brushed his fingers across the top button of her shirt, plucking it open just enough to give his eyes a glimpse of her pale skin. He moved to the second button and flicked it loose, splaying the sides of the shirt open to reveal the luscious nape of her neck. David grinned as he lowered his stubbled cheek to her face, nuzzling her before guiding her head to the side as if giving him permission with the access it provided him. Closing his eyes he breathed deeply, wanting to savor the moment, even though he knew it would not be much longer before the sun drew him to slumber beside her. David smoothed the hair away from her eyes and smiled down on her with victory. She had been his gift to Marko, and now, he would accept her blood as a thank you.

Dwayne and Paul had come through for him. Enticing Marko back to the cave for a night of brotherly bonding, getting Marko to break the ridiculous notion he carried that being Sadie's sire meant being her one and only too. David would not have his childe giving up the animalistic nature for one of nurture and love. It gave him great pleasure to know that while Sadie slept innocently, Marko was fucking and feeding from some nameless girl and would bring her scent back to Sadie, showing her once and for all that being special didn't make her worthy.

David grazed the bridge of his nose along her neck; inhaling and holding her scent inside him where it would become a dark secret she would unknowingly share with him forever. She might never remember the feel of his fangs penetrating her flesh, drawing her essence right from her, but David was in love with the notion that he could steal something so precious not only from her, but from Marko and Max too. David laved his tongue over the strained vein in her neck that begged him to taste the blood flowing through it, marking his territory with a swipe of his tongue.

Fangs bared, he pressed the tips to her skin, already trembling at the wonder of what would happen when that blood passed through his lips. Something stopped him and he sat back, eyes focused on the very spot where the tip of his fang had brought forth a single drop of blood. The scent that seeped up through her pores was not hers and it was not his own.

She had been marked, the scar had healed over, which meant she had already ingested Marko's blood when she had been bitten. But the scent of that mark was still there and would stay with her forever. "Marko," David whispered, inhaling deeply and having no doubt that Marko had tasted Sadie's blood before she had completed the turn.

His fingers gripped the sheets beneath him as he could feel the fury building inside him. He was supposed to be the first to taste her, to know that power, and Marko, his favorite, had betrayed him and drank from her first. In David's twisted sense of loyalty it was a betrayal that surpassed even his own.

"Bitch," he growled down at her, lifting his hand high in the air and slamming it down hard against Sadie's cheek. He could feel the bones shift under her skin, already realigning themselves in the rapid healing process, the red mark that would have been a bruise by morning on a human, was already fading. A whimper escaped her lips, and her eyes fluttered behind the closed lids, but David didn't worry she would wake up. Death would not release her until the night released the moon.

The desire for her blood was growing with his anger. He would make her pay for what she had done. She would heal the break between him and his childe and she would do it with her blood. With a growl David tore at the buttons on Sadie's shirt, listening as the small plastic pieces ripped from the fabric and bounced against the dresser on the other side of the room. He splayed the shirt open, his eyes zeroing in on her neck, that single drop of blood practically glowing.

Oh, if only Marko was there now to see what David did with those who betrayed him. He could never hurt Marko really; it would be too close to hurting himself, but Sadie? She was the perfect conduit to teach Marko a lesson about loyalty and to remind himself that he would always be the one on top.

David rolled on top of her, crushing her with his weight as he slowly licked at her neck, loving the taste of the salt water that had clung to her when they rode through the surf. It didn't have to be this way. Marko could have offered her with the reverence he owed his sire, and David would have drunk with a respect he only saved for those truly interesting and deserving people. It was Sadie and Marko's fault his tasting of her had to go down like this. In the dark, a secret he would carry with him for always. Poor Sadie, lying there with David's greedy grin peering down into her face, treating her like the blood whore Marko had forced her to become. Now that he was there though, David wouldn't have it any other way.

"I could bathe in your blood, Sadie," he whispered, giving her neck a gentle nibble. "And even after the sun sets, you'll never even know I was here." With a deep chuckle he felt his fangs descend, and not able to hold back any longer he sank them into her flesh until there was nowhere else to go. The moment her blood touched his tongue a moan escaped his throat. Never, in all his years roaming the Earth, had he ever tasted anything so wonderful. Even that beautiful artist on the beach hadn't tasted so incredible, and David was sure it was the vampire blood bubbling inside her that had added to her taste.

He extracted his fangs and then licked at the blood that flowed from the wounds, lapping like a kitten with a bowl of milk. Yes, this is what he had wanted the moment he knew she was to become one of them. There was power in her and he could feel it sizzle inside him as her blood slid down his throat. David nuzzled her skin with his cheek then turned his focus to the spot just below her collar bone. Was it possible she was becoming tastier with every bite he took?

He drank from the spot for several minutes, feeling Sadie's body twitch every once in a while as her mind tried to reach out from its death sleep. David couldn't help but laugh. Nothing would stop him now that her blood was on his lips. Max himself could charge through the door and David would still not release his right to taste more of her.

He leaned back and studied the river of blood flowing down the curve of her neck and over the round hump of her breasts. Drunk off the adrenaline of stealing something that was not his, and the unbelievable taste of her blood, David began to kiss his way down to her stomach. He could feel himself growing more aroused, her blood making him feel more alive with every drop he tasted. He bit deep into the flesh below her belly button, his hands gripping her hips and digging half moons into her skin. Her blood was thick and sweet. The more he drank the more he wanted. Even when he knew he should stop, was dangerously close to draining her to a point where she would need more than one day to heal, he kept drinking.

He licked his way back up to the soft curve of her breast, her once white bra now a brilliant red, soaked in her blood. He made small bites into the supple flesh, the blood not quite as thick but just as sweet. Finally he worked his way back up to her neck, sinking into the side Marko had not touched. Maybe his mark wouldn't last now that she was a full vampire, but David would always remember this moment. And when he saw her after this night and she remembered only his thoughtfulness at getting her home, maybe she would offer her blood instead of forcing him to take it.

_Get away from her, David. _

David sat up and looked over his shoulder. He could have sworn he had heard a voice. There was no one there though. Only the deep black darkness and the smell of Sadie's blood filling the air. Convinced it was nothing, he returned his attention to Sadie. Her wounds were already beginning to heal and David took great pride in ripping them open all over again.

_David!_

He practically jumped off of Sadie, knowing he had not imagined the voice that time. "Where are you?" he growled, sitting up fully, his eyes scanning the darkness.

_Right here._

He looked to the space right in front of him and jumped back, falling over Sadie's lifeless body and tumbling down off the other side of the bed. When he stood up the owner of the voice was still there, smiling at him, her long brown hair moving with a non existent breeze.

"I killed you," he heard himself mutter, recognizing her immediately. The artist on the beach he had wanted so badly to turn, but couldn't keep from killing.

_Did you? Or did you just set me free?_

David rubbed at his eyes and blinked hard. She was still there, moving closer to the bed and looking down on Sadie. When her eyes lifted back to David's she looked enraged. It was the first time David had felt fear in over a hundred years. He couldn't speak, couldn't find the words to tell that wispy reminder of his past where to go. "You're not real," he said, his voice a stranger to his ears. There was a fear in the tremble that met the air and the ghostly presence before him heard it too.

_I am very real, devil. I've always been watching you. We all have._

David's brows furrowed. "Who the fuck is we?"

The girl smiled and David gripped the edge of the dresser hard as the shadows became dark forms and the dark forms became people. He recognized them all, every last bloodied body that emerged behind her. It was one of the first things Max told him after his turn. A vampire would always remember his kills. It was the price that had to be paid for receiving the gift of immortality. For years David had languished over the idea that those faces would always be in his mind. Little snap shots of a life cut short by his thirst. After a while though, he looked to those images as nothing more than fond remembrances. Like a serial killer collecting trophies from his victims, David honored every face in his mind. They were his to treasure. Now though, seeing them glaring at him from within the shadows, David wanted to release them all.

_Still want Sadie's power? _The girl laughed, her eyes looking down on Sadie and back to David with a grin. _Was she worth it?_

He could feel his body tighten, all the muscles freezing like blocks of ice. She started to laugh at him and soon the others began to laugh too. David ran for the bedroom door and swung it open with so much force it was a miracle it didn't fly right off its hinges. His body collided with something hard and David could hear himself scream as his arms thrashed about wildly. He only stopped when he recognized the voice calling to him.

"What the fuck, man!" Paul shouted, his eyes looking at David's bloody skin and then into the bedroom where Sadie lay bloodied and unconscious on the bed. "What the hell did you do, David? You said you were only going to taste her!"

Paul flipped on the bedroom light and hurried into the room, examining Sadie before stepping back from the bed with his hands to his head. David stood in the hallway, his eyes scanning his surroundings looking for that girl. For the dead she had brought with her. They were gone for now, but there was a cold feeling settling over him as the realization that they would be back gripped him. Finally, he forced himself into the bedroom to face his brother.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Paul?"

"Marko's asking for you, dude. I tried calling to you but I guess you were too fucking busy to hear me." He fixed David with a serious stare. "You need to be back at the cave. I think he knows something is up."

David looked around the room, still unnerved at what he had seen. Blood was all over the sheets, all over him and all over Sadie. "How much time do I have?"

Paul shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe an hour and a half."

"I'll get me and her cleaned up. You get rid of those sheets." David walked to the bed and hauled Sadie up over his shoulder. Now that he had tasted her David was sure he never wanted Marko or her to know about it. He swore to himself he would never taste her blood ever again, even as he licked his lips to savor those last delicious drops. Paul stepped toward the door blocking his way.

"I'll clean her up," Paul said.

David lifted his brow. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you almost drained her, man." He shook his head, afraid to challenge David, but more afraid of what might happen if he didn't.

David had told them he would just take a taste, a sip to stamp out the curiosity he held for her. What Paul saw in that room was anything but a simple taste test. It was a bloody mess that reminded him way too much of the aftermath they often left when feeding off humans. Sadie was not a human, she was one of them. Even among vampires there had to be some kind of moral code, and David had crossed it. You didn't feed off your own kind and you certainly didn't feed off someone else's childe. Paul was still green, but even he knew that much. There was a heavy guilt settling on Paul knowing he had helped make that happen.

"She's Marko's," he said, hoping David understood what Paul was trying to say without him having to say the words.

"Fine," David huffed, pulling Sadie off his shoulder and practically throwing her at Paul. "Clean her up, change her clothes and then put the little Peanut back to bed."

Paul hooked his arms under Sadie's shoulders and nodded. He dragged her down the hall toward the bathroom, trying to keep her blood off him. Paul leaned her against the wall and took off his jacket before finding several folded washcloths under the sink. He wet them, lathered them with soap, and turned back to the unconscious vampire at his feet. Slowly, he knelt down in front of her and began removing her bloody clothes. As he ran the washcloth over her skin he saw that David's marks had almost completely healed. By nightfall there would be nothing there but smooth untouched skin.

He bit down hard on his lip as he reached behind her to unhook her bra, trying so hard not to take a peek. Paul respected that she was Marko's and he felt that pang of guilt for having deceived his brother so that David could get Sadie alone. The guilt was magnified by the fact that Paul had only agreed to do it because he was so desperate for David's approval. Twenty years of being in the pack and sometimes it felt like twenty minutes. There was so much to learn, and sadly, David wasn't always the best teacher. It was like a parent throwing a baby into the deep end of a swimming pool and hoping the kid learned to swim before they sank to the bottom.

Then there was Sadie, who had come into their lives and completely turned it upside down. On one hand he had looked forward to not being the youngest anymore. But then she didn't come to the cave. She and Marko had their own lives, separate from the pack, and Paul was jealous of it. Part of him hated her. She was the wedge that was driving his brothers apart. Still, she had never wanted to be a part of their pack, had never wanted the blood. Maybe it wasn't her fault and Paul was directing his hate at the wrong person. He despised thoughts like that, empathy and understanding were supposed to have died when he did. His eyes focused on her face, on the tear tracks that had dried on her cheeks. Even in death her body had released a physical reaction to the pain David had inflicted.

A sudden voice inside his head told him to lick at the blood still on her body, to take his chance while it was presented and taste what he would never be allowed to taste again. Maybe if he tasted her, he would understand why David had risked so much for her. He shook his head hard, as if he could dislodge those intruding thoughts and lose them.

Paul continued the task at hand, scrubbing at her skin until there wasn't a drop of blood visible. When he was convinced she was clean he pulled her up into his arms and carried her back to the bedroom where crisp new sheets were on the bed and a pair of sweatpants and a tank top were lying atop the covers.

He dressed her quickly then backed out of the room, turning off the light before shutting the door. When he turned around David was standing in front of him with a cigarette dangling between his lips and clutching the stained linens and Sadie's clothes under his arm.

"Crisis averted," David laughed. "And we still have plenty of time to get back to the cave." He looked down at the bloody mess under his arm. "I'll burn these in one of the barrels when we get back."

Paul followed David out of the bunker. There was no time for David to ride his bike back so he stashed it behind some trees and flew back to the cave with Paul trailing him. Marko was already asleep when they got home, the carcasses of their kills still lying in a bloody heap on the cave floor.

"Looks like he had a good time," David laughed with a yawn. "And when he gets back to Sadie and she smells that girl on him, the little bitch will finally know where she stands." He looked back at Paul and said, "Thanks for helping me, man."

Paul nodded, part of him grateful for David's praise and the other part of him fuming at being put in the position at all. The truth was that he hadn't done what he did for David or even for Sadie. He had done it for Marko, because blood, _their_ blood, would always be the most important bond of all.

2.

Sadie could hear Marko's voice calling to her from very far away. As her eyes slowly started to open she could see nothing but a pinprick of light that slowly grew larger, until finally she was staring into Marko's concerned eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, helping her to sit up. "The sun set two hours ago."

Sadie rubbed at her eyes and groaned as her stiffening muscles started to relax. She looked around the room and then down at her clothes. She couldn't remember changing before bed. The last thing she remembered was David standing with her outside the bunker and her thanking him for the ride. Her memories were pieces and she couldn't seem to put them together. Like waking from a dream and trying to hold onto it until it fades into nothingness, as though it had never been.

"I'm fine," she said, tugging her arm away from him. There were some things from the night before she could remember clearly. Standing on the pier waiting for him to come was bright in her mind, so was the feeling that he had abandoned her, after he swore he never would.

"You need to eat," he reasoned, pulling her to her feet. "I'll take you to the boardwalk."

Sadie shook her head. "No." She pushed past him and went to the closet to get a change of clothes. She tried to keep her voice steady, even as the anger and hurt were growing in momentum and threatening to fly right out of her. "You go on to the boardwalk. I have my own plans."

"Yeah," he laughed. "What are those?"

She turned back to him and said, "I think I'm going to go see Max. I'll go somewhere else to feed later." She looked down into the duffle bag that held her clothes. "I don't want to go to the boardwalk. I'm so sick of that place."

Marko could feel her anger. She was trying to hold it in but he knew it was there. Their connected blood let him know she smelled the girl on him from the night before and this was her way of letting him know it. To go see Max and then feed in a part of Santa Carla Marko didn't was her polite slap in the face.

"You don't go anywhere unless I let you," he said, trying not to growl the words. "You're mine."

Sadie's grip on her emotions released itself when she heard him say the words. She snatched a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the bag and stood up to face him. "If you are so concerned with where I go and what I do you sure didn't show it last night. I waited there for you and you never came! I would have fried in the sun if I had waited for you!"

Marko rolled his eyes. "But you didn't," he said flatly. "Obviously."

"Disappointed?"

Marko threw his hands up with exasperated disbelief. "Are you fucking kidding me? After everything I've done for you!"

Sadie couldn't keep the little laugh in her throat from meeting the air. "What have you done for me really, Marko? Killed my best friend, destroyed my family and cursed me to live for fucking ever in this shit hole town! Thanks a lot!"

She shook her head, not willing to waste a single tear on an argument. She had felt it coming to this point, had known it was going to happen. Whether it was two weeks from now or fifty years in the future, there could be no other outcome. They were living in the same world but a glass wall was between them. Sadie felt Marko coming up behind her even before he grabbed her by the arm and swung her around to face him. He held her arms and pushed her back into the wall, his lips pressing to hers before she could protest.

Sadie put her hand to his cheek and pushed him away as hard as she could. "Get off me! You can't fix things with a fuck every time they get difficult."

"There's nothing for me to fix," he said, trying to kiss her again to no avail. "Sadie, listen to me. This isn't a marriage. It's a blood contract and there is nothing deeper than that." He held her face in his hands and locked his eyes with hers. "Tell me why you're really pissed."

"No," she said, not willing to admit what they both knew was true. She was jealous, plain and simple.

"You act like I've betrayed you."

"If it's not a betrayal then what the hell is it?" she asked, the tears finally spilling over her eyes.

Marko's face softened. He didn't want to hurt her; he only wanted her to understand. Monogamy was for human relationships. What they shared was something else, something that surpassed sex. The intimacy of their shared blood would always be more important than whether or not he got his rocks off with another girl's body.

"She was just food," he said, swiping his thumb gently over her cheek. "_You_ are my blood."

Her eyes held his and she shook her head sadly. "Is that what you think I'm mad about? That you slept with another girl?"

She had smelled the girl's scent the moment she woke up. It clung to Marko even after he had taken a shower to try and rid himself of it. At first Sadie had been hurt, and the beginnings of her anger had started right at that point. It wasn't until she was listening to him tell her she belonged to him that she understood she wasn't mad about the girl at all. Marko had given her his blood and entry into the long ever after, but he had never promised faithfulness. No, her anger, which was slowly turning into an overwhelming sadness, came from somewhere else.

Marko's brows furrowed. "Isn't it?" he asked.

Sadie closed her eyes and shook her head. "You left me, Marko. You left me for _them_." He dropped his hands from her face and took a step back. She opened her eyes and fixed him with a stare that pleaded for his understanding. "That's how this is going to end, Marko. It's how this was _always_ going to end."

"You can't understand," he said, pointing his finger at her. "You can't know what it's like to have your pack always there. We're bonded by more than blood. We've walked this world together for years, Sadie. You'll never know what that feels like!"

"You're right. I can't understand." She took a step toward him and reached for his hand. "And I don't want to."

Marko dropped his head back against the wall and let out a mournful sigh. "I don't know what to do." He looked back at her and she was surprised to see the glisten in his eyes. Evidence that showed her the human that was still lurking somewhere very deep inside her sire. "Tell me what to do, Sadie. What do you want me to do?"

"Let me go," she whispered, reaching up to gently touch his face. "Release me, Marko. Max told me you could."

He shook his head and pulled her into him. "No! No I won't do that. I can make this work, Sadie. _We _can make it work."

"You know we can't." She leaned into him and rested her head on his chest. "I know we both wish we could. I wanted to hate you so much, Marko. For everything you all did to me." Sadie closed her eyes and thought about Hayden and Sarah. She wondered if the darkness in her blood had torn them from her forever. "You need them and I know that. I see it in your eyes when you think I'm not looking. I don't want you to have to make the choice, Marko. And I know I won't be able to stand it when the time comes and you choose them."

Marko wrapped his arms around her and pressed his cheek to the top of her head. "I never wanted this," he said softly. "And once I knew you were mine I never wanted to hurt you." He held her tighter. "I know I've hurt you, Sadie. All I've been trying to do is make it right." Marko took her by the arms and held her back so they could look at one another. "But I won't release you to Max. I just can't."

"Then release me to myself."

"What are you talking about?"

"Let me be on my own. You go back to your pack, to your home, and I'll stay here. I don't want to belong to anyone else, Marko." She shrugged her shoulders a little, feeling at a loss for the words needed to make him understand. Finally, she said, "I just want to be."

He smoothed the hair away from her face and wiped the tears off her cheeks. "And what about us?" Marko wanted her to say that even if he released her to live alone she would still be his. Sadie could never replace what his pack meant to him, anymore than they could replace what Mary Ann had taken from him all those years ago, and Sadie had given back. He needed them both in ways he had never fully understood until that moment.

She smiled softly. "We have the ocean, right? And this place can be ours too. I'm always going to need you, Marko." It was the truest thing she knew about their relationship.

"Kiss me," he whispered, not ready to say the words that would untie her to him.

Sadie wrapped her arms around his neck and drew his lips to hers. He breathed hard against her mouth, soaking up her taste and knowing he needed her one more time, unsure if it would be their last.

Marko picked her up, holding her gently as her legs wrapped around his waist and he walked her back into the bedroom. He fell back onto the mattress and let her stay on top of him, releasing his control by letting her guide the pace of the moment. She sat up and tugged the tank top she was wearing over her head. Marko let his hands move over her skin slowly, memorizing every soft piece of her. When he sat up and attached his lips to her neck to suckle gently she wrapped her arms around him so tight he was sure she would never let him go.

He made love to her for the rest of the night, unable and unwilling to stop. It wasn't until he could feel the pull of the morning and Sadie's tiring body that he finally let himself go. For a while they just lay together, Sadie's head on his chest while his fingers tangled gently in her hair.

"You did something to me, Sadie," he said softly. "You know that, right?"

"What did I do?" she asked, her body growing weaker even as she fought the sleep that was ready to take her over.

"Remember when I told you that I wasn't very good at love?" He felt her nod against his chest. "I wanted to give her the world," he said, his eyes on the ceiling as he fought back tears. "I wanted Mary Ann to have everything but I couldn't give it to her. Do you know why?"

She shook her head and held him tighter. "Why?"

"Because I'm a selfish asshole." He laughed to himself, only to keep from crying. "I always have been. David was right when he said this was the only life I was meant for. I couldn't love Mary Ann because I loved myself more."

"You did love her," Sadie said, her voice tired. "I saw it, remember?"

"That wasn't love," he said. "That was me wanting to damn her so I wouldn't be damned alone." He kissed Sadie's forehead. "I'm not going to do that to you." He rolled his body so that he was leaning over her. He could see her eyes closing even as she struggled to keep them open and on his face. "I release you, Sadie," he whispered and sealed the promise with a kiss. It was the only thing left for him to give her that would ever make up for all he had already taken away.

Sadie's lips pulled at the corners, the softest of smiles. "Marko," she said, her voice becoming a whisper as the coming sun finally claimed her. "Thank you."


	21. Chapter 21

**_Thank you again for all the feedback, it is so appreciated. I feel like this chapter might need a bit of a warning. While the violence isn't as profound as some previous chapters, the subject matter could be upsetting to some. Again, I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who is reading and for those who have taken the extra time to share their thoughts. And for all you Paul and Dwayne lovers, I assure you they both have more page time coming up. ~Stormy~_**

1.

Marko left the bunker before Sadie awoke the next night. He could already feel the fracture inside him; the fear of what it meant to let her go out on her own. There was still so much for Sadie to learn and he was afraid she would go to Max for the answers she sought and not to him. Was he still her sire now that he had said the words that severed the bond? Would he still feel her like he had before? Time would tell, and time was something Marko knew he and Sadie would never run out of.

When he rode up to the cave he knew the others were already gone. It was just as well. He needed the time to himself, to understand what he had done and why. As he dismounted his bike his eyes caught sight of someone standing along the rocky shore watching the water. Marko knew who it was even before he reached her. Mary Ann's dress moved with the breeze, appearing so solid he swore if he reached for her he would feel the wet fabric under his fingers. It couldn't be true and Marko still wasn't sure she was even real. Maybe he was going crazy and she was the side effect.

_How does it feel? _She asked, turning over her shoulder, her pale skin glistening in the moonlight.

"How does what feel?"

_To lose me all over again._

"Sadie isn't you," he said, softly. "She's different."

_Why? Because she carries your curse and your black blood?_ She turned to face him fully, her eyes narrowing. _Or because when you are between her legs she makes you feel alive and I only made you want to die._

"Why are you here?" Marko asked, tiptoeing around her question and getting straight to his own. "All these years and you show up now?"

Mary Ann's lips curled into a smile that made Marko shiver. _Your darling Sadie brought me to you. I told you that. The moment you tasted her blood you were awakened. _

"That's Sadie's power?" Marko began to put the pieces together starting with her dreaming his memories and ending with Mary Ann standing before him. "Can she see you too?"

_Of course she can, if I wish her to. _

Marko stared at her for a while, his mouth opening to speak, but closing when he couldn't find the words. He wanted her to say she forgave him if only so she would go away. Whatever Mary Ann was wanting from him he knew he couldn't give her. His heart didn't work the way a human's did, even dead ones like Mary Ann. He could only feel the here and now and the blood bonds with his pack. Everything, from the moment he drank David's blood, was about sensation and pleasure. Love, sadness and guilt were all things that couldn't survive inside a body that lived outside the realm of possibility.

_But you do feel those things_, Mary Ann laughed, having heard his thoughts as clearly as if he had spoken them. _You feel them because she gave them to you. _

"Then they aren't real," Marko reasoned. "Everything I feel, including what I feel for her, is just an illusion. And now that I've let her go, I can get back to being what I really am."

_Yes, I suppose you can. My beautiful monster. _She smiled softly, but there was a mocking laughter in her eyes._ I was right, was I not? You abandoned her just as I predicted._

"That's bullshit!" he spat. "She wanted me to let her go. I did it for her, not for me."

_That is what you tell yourself, Marko, but it isn't the whole truth. _

"You want to talk about truth? Here's a truth for you. I'm happy you aren't here with me. I'm glad you drowned yourself in that river and when I look at you now I don't know how I stomached you as long as I did!"

Mary Ann's cackle broke through the night, the volume and intensity of it mirrored that of the waves slamming against the side of the bluff. _We both know that isn't true. I've been haunting you forever, Marko. You felt me even before sweet Sadie put me in your sight._ She took a step toward him, laughing to herself as he took a step back and stumbled over the rocks until he found himself on the ground looking up at her angry eyes. _And I will haunt you for always, darling. We all will._

He heard the roar of the motorcycle behind him but couldn't turn around to see which of his brothers was riding up. Marko was too mesmerized by Mary Ann and her ominous words. He watched as she began to slowly fade into the air, her laughter becoming quieter until it no longer existed. Was he going crazy? Or were Mary Ann's words true. The power David thought flowed in Sadie's veins was really a curse, and Marko had infected himself with it.

"I thought you might be here," Dwayne said as he took a seat next to Marko. "Where is Sadie?"

It took Marko a moment to let Mary Ann completely fade and Dwayne's words to settle. Finally, he looked over at his brother and shrugged his shoulders. "I left her in her bunker. I don't know where she is now."

Dwayne's brows furrowed. "Her bunker? It's not Max's anymore."

"I think he gave it to her."

"It's yours too then," said Dwayne. "What belongs to the childe belongs to the sire first."

Marko looked down at his hands and shook his head. "She's not mine anymore. Not really."

"What does that mean?"

Marko looked over at Dwayne and forced a smile. "It means I sent Max's little Peanut out into the great big world on her own. This cave is where I belong. Not underground with a girl who doesn't even want this life."

"So you're done with her?" Dwayne couldn't help but smile. Things were going to go back to the way they had been and their pack would be complete once more. "For good?"

Marko shrugged his shoulders and lifted his eyes to the crescent moon hanging above them. "She still needs me. I'm still her sire. I just can't be there with her anymore."

Dwayne could hear the change in Marko's tone. He had released Sadie with his words, but the sire inside him wasn't fully ready to let go. In a perfect world Sadie would have come into their pack with gratitude and desire to be like them. It might have even been a refreshing change of pace to add some female company. But there was no perfect world, even for the immortal damned. "Be sure this is what you want," Dwayne said, fixing his eyes on Marko's. "It won't end well if you let her go only to reclaim her later."

Marko nodded, understanding Dwayne fully. He could still see Sadie, could still swim with her in their secret place and help her continue the transition, but those times would have to become less and less, until they were hardly there at all. If Marko stepped back into the cave without her, he had to make sure he never wanted to leave it for her again. "I don't have a choice," he said softly. "This is where I belong."

Dwayne gripped the back of Marko's neck and pulled him close until their foreheads were touching. "Yes, man. _This_ is where you belong."

2.

When Sadie opened her eyes she knew right away that Marko wasn't there. It was a strange sensation to know that she wouldn't see him at all that night. That she could go out and feed without fearing his seeing her. It was also incredibly scary. She knew nothing about the creature she was or the things she could and could not do. All she knew for sure was that she would never see the sun again, and that a nocturnal eternity was hers.

She sat up and reached over to flip on the bedside lamp, letting out a screech when she saw Sarah sitting on the end of the bed smiling at her. "You scared me," Sadie laughed, wishing she could reach out and hug her sister. "I didn't think you were coming back."

_I wouldn't leave you, Sadie. I'll never leave you again._ She smiled gently and said, _We thought it best to let you have some time to get used to the changes. _

Sadie looked away from her sister with a sigh, regret and personal disappointment bubbling up inside her. "I wish I had been stronger. If I hadn't lost control there might still be a chance for me." She shrugged her shoulders and looked back at Sarah with a half smile. "I suppose it doesn't really matter. I would have been a half forever anyway. I could never really kill Max."

Sarah's face hardened. _You don't have a choice anymore, Sadie. Now that Marko has released you, you can start putting things in order._

"What are you talking about? I've fed, Sarah. I'm one of them. That doesn't change by killing Max." She looked down at the floor and shook her head. "I'm a monster, Sarah, even if I try not to be. Killing is killing, right? Just because I'm killing bad people doesn't make me a good person." She looked up at Sarah with hopeful eyes. "But this is who I am. I have to live in this world and I want to find a way. I need him to show me."

_Listen to me, baby sister. You are not one of them and you never will be if you do what needs to be done._ Her eyes darkened as she leaned toward Sadie. _They have to die, Sadie. Every last one of them. _

Sadie shook her head. "I can't. I know what they did to you and Hayden was beyond unforgivable but…Those boys mean something to Marko. And he means something to me."

_That's just a lie his blood tells you. I am your sister, Sadie. I love you and they stole my life and the life I would have lived with you. _

Sadie got up off the bed and put her hands to her head in frustration. She would never make Sarah understand the way she felt. "I'm sorry. What you're asking me to do is something I never can. Please, Sarah. Try to understand how this is for me."

_I know what you're going through. I am inside you as much as he is. I feel your fear and your anger at what they turned you into. If you really want to live in this world and make things right you will do what I can't. _

"I'm sorry, but I just can't," Sadie whispered, and then hurried out of the bedroom, feeling as though the walls of that small room were going to crush her. She hurried up the stairs and out the bunker door, taking in the fresh air and open sky with a sort of relief.

Sarah appeared in front of Sadie, as if she had been there the whole time. _You are the only one who can make this right, Sadie. We can't do anything! You don't belong to Marko or to Max. This is where you should be, with us. _

Sarah turned over her shoulder as the others came through the woods, hundreds of them filling the empty space before Sadie. Hayden was first, standing beside Sarah and smiling at Sadie softly. Then there was Kevin and Keri and a host of others she had never met, but knew how they died. All of those ghostly eyes locked in on her, each one pleading for a redemption only she could provide them. It was too much. Their pain and fury was overwhelming.

"Please leave me alone," Sadie whispered, unable to stop the tears. She suddenly wished that Marko was there. Someone like her who could make her feel something other than overwhelming guilt. "I can't do it!" She fell to her knees and placed her hands over her ears, wanting to shut out the sound of Sarah's voice, of all those voices pleading with her to avenge them.

_Poor, Sadie. My sweet girl, you never deserved any of this._

Sadie slowly lifted her eyes and dropped her hands. The young woman before her was immediately recognizable. Sadie had never met her, only seen her photograph sitting on her mother's chest of drawers. Her grandmother had died when Sadie's mother was only a small child and Sadie had always imagined that if she had lived, her mother might have loved her just a little more.

The sweet blue eyes that looked down on her sparkled under the soft starlight and her smile warmed Sadie in a way the sun never could. Even the bloody wound on her neck couldn't take away from her beauty. The others were gone and Sadie was now alone with the grandmother who had died when she was only twenty-four. Three years older than Sadie was now.

"Oh my God," Sadie whispered as realization washed over her. She had never been told how her grandmother really died, only that she was murdered in 1952 and the killer never found. "They killed you," she whispered, not able to say the words with her full voice.

_It's not enough to just tell you, _she said_. I want to show you, so you understand what they took from you, Sadie. What they took from our family. _

She knelt down in front of Sadie and held her stare. Within seconds Sadie could feel herself falling back into the darkness, into her grandmother's past, seeing everything as if she had been a part of it all along.

3.

_Margaret Taylor held tight to her daughter Julia's hand as the two walked along the side of the road. Their car was sitting next to a ditch a mile back, two tires blown out and no one around to fix it. Santa Carla was only a few miles south and Margaret knew if they could make it into town and use a phone she could call her husband for help. _

_"Mommy, my feet hurt." Julia looked up at her mother with tired eyes, her little patent leather shoes pinching her toes with every step she took._

_Margaret reached down and picked Julia up, feeling the strain of the five year olds weight on her back. She was only a few weeks pregnant with baby number two, but already she was feeling the strain. Julia wound her arms around her mother's neck and placed her cheek on Margaret's shoulder as her mother continued the long walk. When the tires had blown the sun was still up, hovering over the horizon in an orange blaze. Now it was gone and the soft blue of twilight was spreading across the sky. At least there was a full moon and the twinkling lights of the boardwalk in the distance to help guide them. _

_She had only been walking for ten minutes when Margaret knew she had to stop. Julia wasn't a big child, but even carrying a small five year old weighed you down after a while. She was about to put Julia down and tell her she had to walk just for a little while when she felt her daughter tug at her arm. _

_"There's a car, Mommy!"_

_Margaret looked over her shoulder as the two bright globes in the distance came closer. She set Julia down and waved her hands frantically, letting out a sigh of relief as the car pulled slowly to a stop beside them. A young man with curly honey blonde hair was sitting in the passenger seat and as he rolled the window down Margaret was immediately calmed by his sweet smile. _

_"You okay?" he asked, looking over at Julia with a wink that made the little girl giggle._

_"My car broke down a mile or so back," Margaret said, bending down to peer into the car. The driver looked over at her, his blonde hair a striking contrast with the dark interior. He smiled at her and then got out of the car. He was clean cut and undeniably as handsome as his friend. Margaret could feel her cheeks blushing as he stepped into the glare of the headlights and rounded the car to stand in front of her._

_"Do you need a ride into town?"_

_"That would be wonderful. My husband can pay you as soon as he gets there."_

_The man laughed and shook his head. "Not necessary. What kind of gentlemen would leave two pretty ladies on the side of the road anyway?" He held out his hand to her and said, "I'm David. That's Marko." He nodded to his passenger who held up his hand in a wave._

_"I'm Margaret and this is my daughter, Julia."_

_David bent down so he was eye level with the little girl. "Such a pretty name for a pretty girl." When he stood back up he gave Margaret an approving grin. "Like her mother."_

_Margaret knew if she could look in a mirror she would see that her face was beet red. She was a married woman and knew that climbing into a car with two men was not appropriate, even if it was for a justifiable reason. The proper thing to do would be to ask them to go into town and call her husband for her, then wait there until he came to her rescue. But poor Julia was tired and hungry. Besides, Santa Carla was only a few miles away. It would take them less than ten minutes._

_Marko got out of the car and pushed the seat forward so he could climb into the back. It was then that Margaret noticed the third man, his dark eyes meeting her gaze as she slid into the passenger seat with Julia on her lap. Something about the man's stare made her want to get back out as an uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach. She was about to withdraw her request for a ride when she felt the car moving forward. _

_She clung to her daughter a little tighter as David looked over at her with a smile. It was a smile that should have eased her sudden apprehension, and were it not for the gleam in his eyes and the soft snickers coming from the back seat, it might have._

_"You know, maybe you should just drop us off here," she said, seeing a house on a hill in the distance. "I know those people and they'll help us."_

_David couldn't help but laugh. "I don't think you do, sugar. Just sit back and we'll get where we're going in a few minutes."_

_Margaret was clutching Julia so tight now that her daughter was beginning to whimper. "Let us out of this car right now," she said, her hand already on the door handle._

_David took a sharp turn off the main road and Margaret braced herself against the seat as the car began to bounce over the uneven terrain of an old corn field. Margaret was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks as Julia sobbed against her shoulder, blue eyes focused on the two sets of amber eyes in the seats behind her. _

_Marko smiled at the little girl, his lips spreading apart to reveal the fangs underneath. Julia screamed, "Monster, Mommy! Monsters!"_

_Margaret turned her attention fully to David and when he looked at her the scream that tore from her mouth shook everything in the car. Without a second thought she threw open the passenger door and flung herself out, trying to shield Julia with her own body as they hit the hard ground. She looked up to see the brake lights flash red and she knew they were coming after her._

_"We have to run, baby," said Margaret, pulling Julia to her feet and dragging her back towards the main road. "Run fast!"_

_They were closing in on the road. Margaret could see the asphalt through the breaks in the corn stalks. She didn't turn behind her to see if the three men were running after her, she only knew that her child was in danger and she was the only one who could protect her. Julia's tired legs fought to keep up with her mother's frantic pace until finally they gave out all together and she fell to the ground, her hand slipping from Margaret's. _

_"We're almost there, Julia", Margaret insisted, trying to scoop Julia up into her arms, prepared to carry her the rest of the way._

_"I'm afraid you've reached the end, sugar," David laughed, flying over her and grabbing Julia off the ground._

_"No!" Margaret screamed, standing up on her tip toes and reaching for her daughter. "Please, please don't hurt my baby!"_

_David held the little girl around her waist, his nose inhaling the fresh scent of so much innocence and wanting the blood immediately. He watched with amused eyes as Dwayne and Marko emerged from between the corn stalks to flank Margaret's sides. Their eyes conveyed their hunger and their panting chests were all the proof David needed that his brother's were desperately trying to hold back. They were ready to tear that woman apart._

_Slowly David descended and landed in front of Margaret with a cool smile. "Tell her to stay put," he said. "And we'll let her go."_

_Margaret shook her head. "Please don't make her watch whatever you're going to do to me." She clutched her hands to her chin, praying to whoever would listen. "She's just a little girl."_

_David looked to Dwayne and Marko with a crooked smirk. He set Julia down and grabbed her little chin roughly. "You move from this spot and you'll be punished, Julia. Do you understand?"_

_The little girl nodded, her bottom lip quivering as she stared up into his face. He gave her a pat on the head and turned all his attention to Margaret. Max would have their heads if he could see them now. His sire had specific rules and protocols for the ending of life, and children were not one of Max's approved food groups. _

_It was fruitless for him to try to tame his Lost Boys and they all knew it. They were wild, and craved everything that went against the order of good. David reached out his hand and caressed Margaret's cheek, watching as her hand unconsciously clutched her stomach. _

_"What are you in the mood for, boys?" David asked with a grin. "Fast food or a slow meal."_

_Dwayne looked over at the little girl and shook his head. "I can't do this with her fucking staring at me."_

_David looked back over his shoulder. Julia's tears had all dried up and now she just stood there sucking her thumb and watching what was happening. "Do you want me to have her turn around?" David laughed. _

_"I want you to let her go," Dwayne said bluntly. He had never killed a child before and he didn't plan on starting now. He may be a monster, and yes, he wanted every drop of the beautiful woman's blood, but he couldn't hurt that little girl. Something inside him wouldn't allow it._

_David lifted his brow and looked to Marko. "What do you think?"_

_"Let her go," Marko said, but Dwayne could see something else being said with Marko's eyes. Something only his sire could read. _

_David nodded and turned back to the little girl. He pointed away from the road and said, "Run, Julia." When she didn't move he stomped his foot hard into the ground and gnashed his fangs at her. "NOW!" _

_She ran blindly into the corn stalks, her cries becoming fainter with every passing moment. Margaret let out a wail that was part sorrow and part gratefulness. _

_"Happy now?" David asked._

_Dwayne smiled and gave a quick nod of his head. He grabbed Margaret roughly by the hair and pulled the woman back into his chest, sweeping the hair away from her neck as he did. He waited for David to give the go ahead, giving his sire both the respect he had earned and needed. With a sly smile David gave a soft nod and Dwayne dug his fangs into her neck with a growl. Her blood was thick and pumped like flowing water into his mouth. Margaret's scream became a quiet gurgle as Dwayne became more and more engrossed in the feeding. Maybe that was why he hadn't seen Marko disappear into the corn stalks, his nose sniffing at the air as he hunted little Julia down._

_Feeling Margaret slipping away, Dwayne tore his fangs out of her flesh and swallowed down the blood with one last thirsty gulp. He tossed her body to David who wasted no time in picking up where Dwayne left off. _

_"Save some for Marko, man," Dwayne laughed, watching as David tore at every piece of exposed flesh he could find. Only then did Dwayne notice Marko's absence. "Where is Marko?"_

_David dropped Margaret's dead body onto the ground and stood up with a smile. "Hunting his dinner," David said._

_Dwayne shook his head, his amber eyes simmering back to a chocolate brown. "No, she lives. You let her go."_

_David patted Dwayne's shoulder and shook his head. "No, Dwayne. No one lives. Even sweet little girls with pregnant mommies."_

_Dwayne stiffened at David's words. The woman had been pregnant. Was that why her blood had been so thick? The taste of it richer and more alive then any he had tasted before. He shoved David back and went to move past him. He had to stop Marko from killing that little girl. They were damned, he knew that, but there was something about the innocence in that little girl's eyes that told Dwayne damnation might one day be salvation if he let her live to see the morning sunrise._

_David grabbed Dwayne roughly by the shoulders and held him back, growling as Dwayne yelled Marko's name. "This is who we are," he said, holding the collar of Dwayne's button up shirt in his balled fists. "You knew that when you took the drink. It's too late to change your fucking mind."_

_"Not kids, man. I can't kill kids."_

_David shoved him back hard and let loose a low laugh. "And you didn't, did you?" _

_Margaret's blood was still in Dwayne's mouth, the sweet taste of it coating his tongue. He felt sick suddenly, unable to hold onto the reality of what his insatiable hunger had done. They were all monsters and Dwayne had signed his name on the dotted line. There was no turning back now. He fell to his knees and felt his stomach clench tight. He threw up everything he could, until he was dry heaving and wiping furiously at his lips, wanting to erase the taste of her. David watched him with a disappointed frown._

_"Who would have thought you would be the heart of our little group," he said with a shake of his head. "What a waste."_

_"I'm fine," Dwayne choked out the words. "Really."_

_David crouched down and met his childe's eyes. "You don't have to kill anyone you don't want to, Dwayne. That's your freedom and I can't take that from you. But you will feed without remorse. Are we clear?"_

_Dwayne nodded and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. Marko appeared from behind the dying stalks with a smile. There was blood still on his lips and David admired the way it shimmered under the full November moon. _

_"How do you feel?" David smiled._

_"Satisfied," Marko said with a little laugh. "Let's get the fuck out of here."_

_They walked back to the car together, Marko lagging a little behind. He turned over his shoulder and peered into the cornfield, his ears fine tuning to the sound of a little girl crying. _

3.

Sadie came out of the memory gasping, feeling as if every ounce of energy had been drained from her body. She had seen the two small scars on her mother's neck and asked about them often when she was a child. After a while, Sadie seemed to equate her mother's angry moods and sullen bouts with her child's curious questions and eventually stopped asking them all together.

"David thought Marko killed her," she said softly, looking up to her. "But he didn't. He _couldn't_." She slowly got to her feet and looked Margaret deep in her eyes. "He and Dwayne aren't like David."

_Of course they are, Sadie. Dwayne killed me and he killed my baby. You think because Marko couldn't take your mothers life that he didn't destroy it, in turn destroying yours. Imagine how your mother might have turned out if I had only been there._

"I can't do it," Sadie said, wiping at her eyes and wanting so badly to make them all understand. "Marko is inside me all the time. His blood is mine and I…." She paused, not sure she could say the words that were so anxiously dancing on the tip of her tongue. "I think I love him."

Margaret shook her head sadly. _It isn't love, Sadie. It is a lie. Stop and remember all those things he did to you before you made that fateful choice to kill. He used you, hurt you, killed the one person who truly knew and loved you. The love you think you feel is just an illusion. Marko murdered you my sweet girl, the same as Dwayne and David murdered me._

Sadie's mind was overrun with images of Marko killing Hayden, tearing that innocent girl apart in the bunker and forcing Sadie to watch. She could feel his greedy hands on her inside the cave as she waited to drink from the bottle, thinking she was saving Hayden, not killing her.

_Yes, _Margaret whispered_. Remember those things, Sadie. Think of all the things those monsters stole from you. I would be here now. We would have been so close and your mother would have not had such a hard heart. Sarah would have stayed and your father would have been there for his little girls completely. They stole all of that from you._

Sadie looked up at her and slowly nodded, conceding what she knew was the absolute truth. Still, it was a promise she wasn't entirely ready to make. "But how do I do it?"

_You'll find a way_, she smiled. _And now that you have your freedom, you have all the time in the world to make it happen. We're always here, Sadie. We're always watching._

Sadie watched as her grandmother held out her hand and Sadie longed to hold it, to feel something real in the wake of all the unbelievable things that had already happened. Margaret vanished just as their hands were about to touch.


End file.
